Are U.S. Employees The Happiest Employees?

A new global survey by Mindspace confirms that employees of large U.S. companies are happiest, but small to medium enterprises (SMEs) lag far behind.

The vast majority of U.S. employees are happy in their workplace – placing the country at the top the list among the other countries surveyed, according to a new report from Mindspace. Mindspace polled 5,000 employees worldwide and 1,000 employees from across the U.S. for its global work culture survey. Participants were asked how they feel about their jobs, with a specific focus on employee engagement, wellness, and overall happiness at work.

employeesWhile U.S. employees came out on top in terms of overall happiness, the survey found a vast gap between large companies and smaller companies. In terms of employee engagement, small U.S. companies stand out – but not in a good way: 16% of small companies do not organize any events, compared with 9.5% of medium companies and 6.8% of corporates and enterprises together. Moreover, 9% of small companies do not assess employee engagement, compared with 5% of medium companies and 6.3% of corporates/enterprises

This lack of management focus on employee engagement shows. Employees of small to medium enterprises (SMEs) are generally more guarded when it comes to engagement events: 5.5% of them do not like such activities at all versus only 1% of corporates/enterprises employees. This lack of activity on the side of SMEs clearly shows in the sense of engagement employees feel with the company: 6.5% of them do not feel very or at all engaged, vs. 2.7% of employees of larger companies.

Other key findings include:

  • 87.5% of U.S. office workers “like”’ or “love” going to work, as compared to 56.6% in the UK
  • Only 2% of U.S. employees hate or dislike their jobs, as opposed to 16.9% in the UK
  • Millennials are happier: 95% of U.S. millennials versus 89% of Baby Boomers are happy in their jobs
  • 96% of U.S. workers feel engaged and valued in their job
  • 95% of U.S. companies strongly value employee wellness
  • 68% of U.S. workers can work flexible hours, and 35% think flex time is a high-value perk
  • Women (30.43%) are more unhappy with their salaries than men (11.11%)

Why do U.S. respondents like going to work? Top of the list was “achieving set goals and results,” followed by “doing their job,” and “a sense of purpose and meaning.” The social aspect of the office plays a smaller role in the U.S. than elsewhere, yet 84.5% of all those surveyed in the U.S. feel that working in a more collaborative people-focused environment makes them happier than working alone (as opposed to 60.9% in the UK).

“We have shown that employee happiness is a hugely significant factor for every U.S. business, with employee engagement ratemployeeses double those who aren’t happy at work,” said Dan Zakai, CEO and co founder, Mindspace. “We believe that employee happiness in the workplace should be a core focal element for businesses. The facts are there happier employees means more successful businesses, including better retention rates, greater engagement, and a more collaborative work environment.”

The U.S. specific report also takes a deep dive into the state of American workplace happiness and analyzes:

  • Employee happiness
  • Employee wellness
  • Regional work culture
  • An inspiring office environment
  • Workplace flexibility
  • Measurement of employee engagement
  • The gender gap
  • The generation gap

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