Occupational level and job satisfaction

Abstract

The results of a questionnaire study of employed men indicated that a relationship exists between occupational level and job satisfaction; the amount of change in occupational level has little effect upon job satisfaction, although the direction of change is of considerable importance; the difference between present occupational level and the level aspired to is inversely related to degree of job satisfaction; the nature of the work is the most frequent reason reported for disliking a job, with economic reasons second, and managerial policies an infrequent third; job satisfaction increases with age, but the development is cyclical, individuals 24-34 and 45-54 being less satisfied than those of other ages. The results also suggest that two occupational scales exist, one for white-collar and the other for manual workers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)