FILIPINOS are the happiest workers in seven Asian countries surveyed by online job search firm Jobstreet.
Based on a survey conducted by Jobstreet, Filipino workers registered an average satisfaction rating of 6.25 on a ten-point scale, the highest among surveyed countries. A total of 12,796 Filipino respondents were surveyed.
Jobstreet also interviewed workers in Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
Indonesia (6.16) and Thailand (5.74) came in second and third, respectively. Singapore had the lowest score with an average satisfaction rating of 5.09 out of 10.
“The Philippines also topped the Job Happiness Index, with 73 people happy out of 100, just two points more than Indonesia at 71. Malaysia has the lowest happiness index at 41,” Jobstreet said.
The survey clues in companies on the factors that make employees leave or stay in a company and the programs and systems they can create to establish a better working environment, Jobstreet said.
The report found that factors influencing job happiness include salary, benefits, leadership, career development, job security, culture, corporate values, trainings, work schedule and immediate superior.
In contrast, the top factors that drive employees to leave a company include uninspiring leadership, insufficient salary, lack of benefits, and lack of training.
Work location an issue
The survey also showed that a convenient work location contributes to job satisfaction.
The 2016 Happiness Index Report noted that Filipino workers also put a high premium on convenient work location, great rapport with colleagues, and the reputation of the company.
“These factors can be easily attributed to the relational nature of Filipinos, the worsening traffic situation that results in unproductive hours for employees, and the need for stability in the companies they work for, respectively,” Jobstreet noted.
“Respondents are a good mix of position levels ranging from fresh graduates to supervisorial and managerial positions and even top management, from all around the country, having stayed in their current jobs for varying lengths of time, and representing various specializations and industries,” according to Philip Gioca, JobStreet Philippines country manager.
Gioco said the respondents were asked to predict how satisfied with their jobs will they be in the next six months. Indonesia topped this category at 6.58, while Singapore clocked in lowest at 4.93. The Philippines ranked third with a rating of 6.18.
The survey said that among the Filipino respondents, the most satisfied are those who have been in their current jobs for six months to a year, working in the education, gas and oil, and government sectors; specializing in hospitality (food and beverage, hotel and restaurant), building and construction.
JobStreet.com is a leading online job board covering the employment markets in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam.(C. Talavera & R. Sausa, MT)