Eighty-five percent of working Filipinos reported a positive or neutral response when asked about how satisfied they were with their current jobs, compared to 68% before the pandemic, according to the leading online job portal Jobstreet by SEEK’s Employee Job Happiness Index 2024.
Aiming to identify the triggers that make a job enjoyable for Filipinos, the Employee Job Happiness Index 2024 surveyed over 900 respondents from various industries and specializations nationwide, asking them questions regarding their overall job satisfaction and experience in their respective companies.
When asked about how satisfied they were with their job, 85% of respondents shared a neutral or positive answer, which equals to an overall Happiness Index Score of 4.52 over a total of 7 points with 7 being the most positive. This is a much higher percentage than in Jobstreet by SEEK’s 2017 Job Happiness Index, with 68% of Filipino employees answering the same.
The respondents cited having work mobility, work-life balance, and an inclusive work setup as attributing factors to being satisfied with their current job.
The report has also noted that talent who are currently working remotely or are under the work-from-home (WFH) setup showed better job satisfaction scores, with employees fully working remotely scoring 4.82 out of 7. The same employees cited a higher satisfaction when it comes to work-life balance, scoring 4.92. With the growing number of jobs offering a WFH arrangement, this has positively impacted the country’s overall Job Satisfaction score.
Meanwhile, when it comes to job satisfaction among Filipinos in different parts of the country, employees from the National Capital Region (NCR) scored the lowest at 4.46, which can be attributed to the region’s high traffic congestion and difficult mobility, leading to a stressful commute for employees going to work, and in turn, affecting their overall job satisfaction. Workers from Mindanao, on the other hand, were most likely to be satisfied with their careers, scoring an average of 4.59.
Among Filipino talent of different generations, Gen Z was the least likely to be satisfied with their current jobs, scoring a 4.28 in the Happiness Index Score for those between the ages of 23 and 27. This may be inferred from a widening gap of perceptions when it comes to work culture and work-life balance among younger and older colleagues.
Interestingly, employees who are married or partnered reported higher levels of job satisfaction, scoring 4.60 in comparison to single employees who scored 4.46, which may be attributed to employees having found a good work-life balance in handling their personal relationships with their careers.
Overall, the survey revealed that Filipino workers are happier in their jobs when they are given the appropriate work arrangement and opportunity to develop and be promoted by their employers. The said report also identified career development and verticality as the main contributors to happiness at work among the respondents, followed by training opportunities and salary.
Evidently, the survey revealed that those who work remotely are most likely to be satisfied with their jobs, revealing how the pandemic also affected perceptions about work and normalized the work-from-home setup.
“Our survey shows that Filipino candidates nowadays weigh multiple factors in determining their happiness and satisfaction with their jobs. As a talent partner, Jobstreet by SEEK encourages hirers to take these into consideration and provide a conducive, satisfying work environment that not only benefits current employees but also potential candidates to improve employee morale and traction,” shared Dannah Majarocon, Managing Director of Jobstreet by SEEK in the Philippines.
Jobstreet by SEEK, as a leading career-seeking platform, remains steadfast in providing future and current employees the opportunity to be guided in their career paths, as well as provide insights on employment for both companies and the public sector to consider when it comes to employee well-being and development.
