Gallup: Gov’t Workers Happier Than Private-Sector Workers About Retirement Plan, Insurance, Vacation
By CNSNews.com Staff | September 10, 2015 | 1:04 PM EDT
(CNSNews.com) - Americans who work for government--who rely on the taxes paid by private-sector workers to pay their salaries and fund their benefits—are generally happier than private-sector workers with their work-related benefits, according to Gallup polls conducted over the last five years.
In a “Work and Education” survey it conducts every August, Gallup asks workers their level of satisfaction with 13 aspects of their job.
In 9 of these 13 categories, a higher percentage of government workers than private-sector workers said they were completely satisfied or somewhat satisfied.
The categories in which a larger percentage of government workers than private-sector workers said they were completely or somewhat satisfied with their jobs included:
--The retirement plan their employer offers (82 percent for government workers to 57 percent for private sector workers);
--The health insurance benefits their employer offers (80 percent to 57 percent);
--The amount of vacation time they receive (91 percent to 74 percent);
--Their boss or immediate supervisor (88 percent to 82 percent);
--Their job security (87 percent to 83 percent);
--Their chances for promotion (69 percent to 66 percent);
--The amount of work they are required to do (86 percent to 83 percent);
--Their relations with their coworkers (96 percent to 93 percent);
--The amount of money they earn (72 percent to 70 percent);
An equal percentage of government and private sector workers (91 percent) said they were completely satisfied or somewhat satisfied with the physical safety conditions of their workplace.
The three categories in which a larger percentage of private sector workers than government workers said they were completely or somewhat satisfied included:
--The flexibility of their hours (87 percent for private sector workers and 85 percent for government workers);
--The recognition they receive at work for their work accomplishments (79 percent to 76 percent);
--The amount of on-the-job stress in their job (67 percent to 64 percent).
“Government and private sector employee’s views on various aspects of their job make on thing clear,” Gallup said in an analysis of the survey data written by Justin McCarthy. “Government employees are much more satisfied than nongovernment employees with the traditional ‘benefits’ of their job—namely, the retirement plan, health insurance benefits and vacation time.”
“But many government workers likely have pension plans—something increasingly rare in the private sector—and generous health plans requiring lower out-of-pocket costs than seen in private sector plans,” said Gallup’s analysis.
“Government workers may also get guaranteed vacation of two to four weeks (or summers off for public school teachers) and likely federal holidays,” said Gallup.
Gallup said these survey results came from polling 2,949 adults—including 528 government workers and 2,421 nongovernment workers--from 2011 through 2015. The margin of error was +/-5 for the government workers and +/-3 for the nongovernment workers.
