By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

In the past few weeks, a flurry of stories has been released revealing that employees are the least satisfied they’ve been with their jobs in decades. In fact, according to a report released today by The Conference Board, “only 45 percent of those surveyed say they are satisfied with their jobs, down from 61.1 percent in 1987, the first year in which the survey was conducted.”

One might think that with the US unemployment rate around 10%, and even higher in metropolitan areas, today’s employees would be happy just to have a job; however, according to Lynn Franco, director of the Consumer Research Center of The Conference Board, “Through both economic boom and bust during the past two decades, our job satisfaction numbers have shown a consistent downward trend.”

Franco and the other report authors, Linda Barrington and John Gibbons, say that job satisfaction is down in all age groups. Barrington warns, “The growing dissatisfaction across and between generations is important to address because it can directly impact the quality of multi-generational knowledge transfer – which is increasingly critical to effective workplace functioning.”

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By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

After all those holiday snacks, many people resolve to eat better and exercise more in the new year. But fitness is more than just an individual goal. Company fitness programs have risen in popularity since the 1990s. They are often seen as perk for busy employees – after all, it’s difficult for many individuals to squeeze in time at the gym between work and home.

But these kind of programs can be a boon for your company as well – employee-wide programs can raise productivity, decrease healthcare costs, and serve as a team-builder for your company.

According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, exercise can actually be a preventative measure against sickness. Laura Landro writes, “Now, a growing body of research is showing that regular exercise—as simple as a brisk 30- to 45-minute walk five times a week—can boost the body’s immune system, increasing the circulation of natural killer cells that fight off viruses and bacteria.” As an immune system booster, company-wide fitness programs can reduce sick time and overall healthcare costs – and that is just the beginning.

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