Job Satisfaction in Israel

The research is available in Hebrew only

Job satisfaction is influenced by a number of factors. Alongside the monetary rewards of work, there are additional factors such as the value of work to the individual, the amount of creativity and challenge work affords, work place security and stability, and the balance between work hours and leisure time. The study conducted by Haim Bleikh looks at worker job satisfaction in Israel between 2002 and 2021 – a period that includes the economy’s coming out of a recession of the early 2000s, the global economic crisis of 2008, and the COVID-19 crisis.

The study is based on data from the Central Bureau of Statistics Social Survey for employees between the ages of 25 and 64. It focused on four factors that impact job satisfaction: earnings, interpersonal relationships at work, job security, and work-life balance. The study found that among employees in the period preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, work relations was the factor that contributed the most to job satisfaction levels, and wage level was second in importance.

Work relations include relations between colleagues as well as between workers and their superiors, and relates to levels of social support and professional support as well as to conflicts and their resolution. This is the factor that contributes the most to job satisfaction among employees (22%), and, in particular, among women (25% versus 20% among men). This finding sharpens the dilemma currently facing many organizations over the optimal balance of work in the office and remote work from home. The study also found that women benefit from more assistance from superiors and colleagues than do men.

Earnings reflect labor income, which is primarily composed of salary and benefits like Keren Hishtalmut, vacation days, a car provided by work – sometimes in addition to wages and often in lieu of higher wages. The earning factor in this study is expressed through the variable of satisfaction with salary. Satisfaction with salary is dependent not just on wage levels but also reflects the relational factor – since employees often consider their salary in relation to what others in the organization or in the industry earn. The study found that this is the second most important factor influencing overall job satisfaction, particularly among men (21% versus 11% among women), among employees in the private sector (24% versus 8% in the public sector), and those without an academic degree (19% versus 12% among those with higher education). Part of the explanation for the gap is gender related: in the private sector there is a male majority versus a female majority in the public sector; women are also the majority among academic degree holders.

The Taub Center analysis shows that the job satisfaction rate from labor income among all workers increased between 2002 and 2011, stabilized until 2019, and then increased significantly in 2020 (apparently due to the COVID epidemic). In 2021, satisfaction from wages among employees was somewhat lower than in 2020, and among the self-employed, satisfaction levels were somewhat higher. Public sector employees expressed a relatively sharp drop in satisfaction with employment wages —from 66% to 59%, although satisfaction levels remained high relative to the pre-pandemic period.

Job insecurity is the uncertainty and fear of workers in their work place on three major axes: fear of losing one’s place of work, fear of a decline in status at work, insecurity regarding one’s future and abilities to find alternate employment at least at the same wage level. Long-term job insecurity can result in negative health effects like stress, anxiety, and depression, can impact job performance, and cause a rise in lowered job satisfaction levels. The study identified a group of variables for job security and advancement and found that they have a greater influence on satisfaction levels for men (13%) than for women (8%). This finding fits well with the fact that men are generally the main wage earner in the household.

Until 2019, there was a decline in employees fear of losing their place of work, but in 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic, there was as sharp rise in this fear — 12% of employees expressed a fear of losing their job, versus 6% in 2019. Among the self-employed, there was a dramatic rise in this fear, from 10% to 24%, and among public sector employees and those with an academic degree, the level of increased fear was the lowest. In 2021, feelings of job security rose among employees and returned to their pre-pandemic levels. Among the self-employed, feelings of security also grew although their remained lower than before the pandemic.

Work-life balance touches on the need for a balance between work needs or a career and personal and family needs. The increase in women’s employment in the past few decades, alongside the rise in the number of dual-income households and the participation of men in child-rearing and household management, has intensified the conflict between work and family. The issue extends beyond though and touches on leisure time and social life of workers, and as such is relevant for all workers regardless of their marital status. Organizational practices such as flexible hours or remote work possibilities can contribute to work-life balance and impact job satisfaction levels as well.