A team may deliver a successful project while some employees remain unhappy with how the work gets done. Job satisfaction is an employee’s positive evaluation of their work and employment conditions. It varies by person: a mandatory return to the office may suit someone who lives nearby but create difficulties for someone who has relocated. section 8.2.1 section 10.1.5
When assessing satisfaction, look beyond the work itself:
- Consider flexibility, recognition, communication, collaboration, feedback, and performance management. A condition one person tolerates may be a deal-breaker for another. section 8.2.1
- Understand individual needs and match strengths with responsibilities. Support and opportunities for growth can improve satisfaction alongside engagement and retention. section 3.0
- Distinguish changes you can make within a team from company policies you can only advocate changing. Both can affect how employees experience their work. section 8.2.1
A project-launch check
After one project launch, an internal employee survey found a 70% satisfaction rate and gathered feedback for improvement. Employee satisfaction was considered alongside measures such as timelines, budget, customer satisfaction, and code quality. The survey supplied a view of employees’ experience that delivery results alone could not provide. section 10.1.5
Satisfaction also matters when considering why people leave. Before assuming a policy affects everyone equally, ask which conditions are helping employees feel supported and which are making their work harder. section 8.2.1
