Clear Expectations and Career Paths Vital to Job Satisfaction, Says New Report

For nonprofit leaders seeking to keep several generations of workers happy in one office or unit, nothing is more important than the employer clearly laying out job requirements and paths for advancement and providing adequate benefits and support, according to a new study that asked nonprofit employees of all ages about the ingredients they felt were most important for them to attain job satisfaction and success.

While that was the most popular idea nonprofit employees recommended, they also said a collective belief in an organization’s mission, an inclusive decision-making process, and leadership development were the next most important ways to keep employees of different age groups working in harmony.

• Eighty-two percent of workers said that positive relationships on the job, especially with a direct supervisor, are key to their satisfaction.
• Employees of all ages said they feel strongly connected to their organization’s mission: Nearly 87 percent of workers said that they were committed to their group’s cause, and 77 percent said they believe their work supports that cause and is important to the organization’s success.

• Millennials said a belief that their work was important to the organization’s mission was the number-one factor in creating a good workplace. By contrast, baby boomers (people born from 1946 to 1964) and members of Generation X (defined for this study as people born from 1965 to 1979) said earning fair and competitive salaries was most important.
• The younger generation was also more likely than baby boomers and members of Generation X to value leadership-development opportunities.

Diversity did not emerge as a driving force in job satisfaction for any age group. However, notes Caroline McAndrews, director of leadership and communications at the Building Movement Project, and author of the study, “the people who were more satisfied were working in the most diverse workplaces.”

The report, “What Works: Developing Successful Multigenerational Leadership,” is available for free download on the Building Movement Project Web site. Go to: http://www.buildingmovement.org.