(Gregory Gaynor/Wealth of Geeks) – The daily commute might involve a small plane or team of huskies, but the most remote state in the country may also be the best for workers. A recently released nationwide happiness index names Alaska the happiest state in terms of employee satisfaction. The same study ranked states such as Florida and Georgia near the bottom when it comes to job satisfaction.
The rankings, created by HR technology experts at SelectSoftware Reviews, measured vital employment metrics such as annual wages, turnover rates, on-the-job injuries, commute times, personal time policies, and average weekly working hours. The panel assigned each state a happiness score out of 100, revealing the best and worst states for overall job satisfaction.
The Best States For Employee Happiness
The states with the highest scores tended to offer higher wages, a shorter workweek, and shorter commute times. Employees with different personality types, such as omniverts and ambiverts, may have different work/life balances, but most would agree these workplace conditions are universally appealing.
Alaska
Alaska secures the top spot as the state with the happiest employees, boasting shorter average workweeks of 31.3 hours, a generous average wage of $52,000 per annum, and an overall job satisfaction score of 69.96.
Although Massachusetts has the highest average annual wage of $58,450 per annum, Alaska’s wages represent only a 7.5% difference.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island holds second place on the survey, with a total score of 56.64. Featuring a robust job market, strong personal time-off policies, and a modest job attrition rate of 2.4%, Rhode Island also has the lowest injury rate of any state, with only five fatal workplace accidents reported in the previous year.
North Dakota
North Dakota ranks third on the shortlist, with an overall happiness score of 56.40, due to its average annual wage of $47,400 and an average commute time of 17.6 minutes.
By comparison, the state of New York has the longest commute time at 33.5 minutes. Longer commutes can be detrimental to mental health and employee morale, as they significantly extend the workday and increase overall stress.
Colorado
Colorado boasts an average annual wage of $50,250, with modest workplace injury and job attrition rates and an average workweek of 39.4 hours. (55.76)
Minnesota
Despite its slightly higher-than-average workweek of 40.2 hours, Minnesota is fifth in the rankings. With a low job attrition rate of 1.8% and strong employee PTO policies, it scores 55.26.
Other states earning a spot in the top ten include Nebraska (54.91), Maine (53.98), Ohio (52.02), Arizona (51.69), and Indiana (48.84).
States With The Unhappiest Employees
Based on the same criteria, researchers were able to generate a list of ten states with the lowest employee satisfaction. Employees in these states weren’t necessarily dissatisfied with their jobs, but overall working conditions were worse, and average annual wages were lower compared to other states.
Georgia
The state of Georgia came out as the worst state in terms of employee satisfaction, with an overall happiness score of 29.62 out of 100. It has the highest job attrition rate (3.6%), ranks low in employee morale metrics, and has an average commute time of 28.7 minutes.
Texas
Texas faces a considerable employee satisfaction challenge, with a significant 533 fatal workplace injuries reported per year. It only lags behind Louisiana with the second-longest workweek of 43.6 hours. These and other factors contribute to an overall score of 30.36.
Florida
Florida comes in third on the list with a total employee happiness score of 30.46. With an average annual wage of $38,470 and a long workweek of 41.5 hours, the average Floridian only earns $18 per hour compared to the $32 per hour earned for similar work in Alaska. The state’s minimal employee PTO policies also reduce overall employee satisfaction.
New York
Despite offering the third-highest average annual wage of $52,470, New York also has a high workplace injury rate, with over 247 fatalities reported. It also has the longest commute time of all 50 states. Consequently, it earned a final employee happiness score of 31.51.
South Carolina
With an annual average income of $38, 870, employees in South Carolina earn an average of $13,000 less than their Alaskan counterparts. South Carolina also ranks poorly in overall state happiness and sustains a high job attrition rate of 3.1%. These factors result in a total employee satisfaction score of 31.65.
Rounding out the list of states with the unhappiest employees are Alabama (32.68), Pennsylvania (33.14), Virginia (33.26), New Jersey (34.09), and New Mexico (34.25).
Unhappy At Work? Consider Moving To Another State
Phil Strazzulla, CEO of SelectSoftware Reviews, observes, “Although many people might assume that a job is the same wherever you are, these results demonstrate the considerable impact a location can have on how workers feel about their job.”
Other factors, such as work/life balance, social involvement, and personality type, also have an impact on the level of workplace satisfaction individual employees report. Before considering a move to another state, new job seekers should ask themselves if their employment situation is the true source of their current dissatisfaction.
This article was produced by Face Dragons and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
