India scores high on job satisfaction; many say they would work free

Indian workers are among the most satisfied with their jobs globally, and nearly one in five Indians like their jobs so much that they would even work for free, says a survey.

According to a survey by online career and recruitment solutions provider Monster Worldwide and Gfk, an independent global market research company, over half of Indian workers (55 per cent) love or like their jobs a lot, placing India at third position in international happiness ranking, behind Canada (64 per cent) and the Netherlands (57 per cent).

Among the seven countries surveyed, United States was ranked fourth with 53 per cent saying they either love or like their jobs, followed by United Kingdom (46 per cent, 5th), France (43 per cent, 6th) and Germany (35 per cent, 7th). The international survey that polled more than 8,000 workers in Canada, France, Germany, India, the Netherlands, the UK and the US, said nearly one in five (18 per cent) Indians love their jobs so much that they would work for free.

Moreover, only 5 per cent of Indian workers admit they actively dislike their jobs and no Indian worker said they hate their jobs - the lowest percentage of all countries surveyed.

"The research findings are a reflection of prevailing business scenario and employee/worker mind-set where they want to be safe and not take any risks," Monster.com (India/Middle East South East Asia) managing director Sanjay Modi said.

The survey further said that money does not buy happiness as those with medium level pay packets are happier than those with huge salaries.

Three in five (60 per cent) of those with middle incomes say they like or love their job as compared to just over half (52 per cent) of high earners. Lowest earners are the least content with less than half (47 per cent) saying they are happy at work.

"There are many variables to job satisfaction - and the size of your pay check is only one aspect," Mr Modi added.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the happiness spectrum, US respondents are the most likely to feel negatively about their jobs, with 15 per cent giving their jobs a big thumbs down, followed by UK (12 per cent), Germany (10 per cent), France (9 per cent), Canada and the Netherlands (both at 7 per cent).