Japanese Least Satisfied With Jobs, Survey Notes

Though known for their long hours and dedication, workers in Japan are the least satisfied of employees in major countries with wages and job conditions, a survey released last week showed.

British workers were found to be nearly as unhappy with their pay.

Two out of every three employees in Japan and Britain feel they are underpaid, said Australian sociology professor Riaz Hassan, who prepared the survey in association with the International Survey Research Corp. in Chicago.

So what is the best country to work in?

Employees in Singapore and Australia tend to be more positive about their work environments than those in the United States, Britain or Japan, according to the survey.

It exploded the myth that the Japanese have the best attitude about work, according to Hassan, who teaches at South Australia’s Flinders University.

He said attitudes of employees in Singapore and Australia have grown more positive over the past 10 years, while those of Japanese employees have deteriorated.

The survey also showed 90% of Singaporeans felt their jobs were secure as long as they performed well, in contrast with only 66% of Americans and 64% of British workers.

Workers in Singapore and Australia were also the most satisfied with the efficiency of their companies.

Hassan said the study covered nearly 150,000 employees in the United States, 96,000 in Britain, 30,000 in Germany, 41,000 in Australia, 3,000 in Singapore and 1,000 in Japan.