GAIS uses a recognised and research-based knowledge base
GAIS is based on a valid research-based model, which focuses on factors that are important for job satisfaction.
It takes as its starting point the factors, questions, data sets and analyses that have been refined since 2015 through work with the Job Satisfaction Index, which is produced by the Job Satisfaction Knowledge Centre.
In 2022, the model and the work of the knowledge centre were internationally recognised by the research journal “Labour”.
The Good Job Satisfaction Index has been developed by:
The most important factors for job satisfaction
Job satisfaction differs from person to person. Nevertheless, research shows that there are seven factors in particular that are important for job satisfaction across industries, gender, age, level of education, geography, etc.
Purpose
Your job satisfaction increases if you feel that you are spending your working life on something with a purpose for you and others – and when you can see that your contribution in particular has value.
Mastery
When you have a sense of mastery, you feel that you are in control of the challenges you face during your working day. It is important for your job satisfaction that your tasks match your skills and that you have the opportunity to develop.
Balance
Your job satisfaction is affected by your perception of whether there is balance between the number of tasks and the time it takes you to complete them. But you are more than your job. Therefore, there must also be a balance between your work life and your private life.
Achievements
It is important for your job satisfaction that you know what you need to achieve during your working day and can see tangible results from your work.
It’s a question of clear goals and the feeling that you’re truly accomplishing something.
Leadership
The leadership you are exposed to is of great importance to your job satisfaction. It is important that you feel you have a good, trusting relationship with your manager, and that your manager is competent – both professionally and socially.
Influence
When you perceive a sense of influence at work, it is reflected in your job satisfaction. Co-determination is about having an influence and the ability to organise your own tasks. It is also about your perception of the balance between freedom and control.
Colleagues
Your colleagues are important for your happiness and your job satisfaction. A good collegial atmosphere is characterized by trusting relationships and valuable social and professional interaction.
Great job satisfaction
boosts the bottom line
It is common sense to work purposefully to improve job satisfaction. A research collaboration between Kraka Advisory and Videncenter for God Arbejdslyst quantifies it as follows:
A 10-point increase in job satisfaction (on a 0-100 scale) is associated with 8% more on the bottom line.
The total socio-economic gain from an improvement in job satisfaction of just one point (on a 0-100 scale) is DKK 47.6 billion.
Better
employee retention
Almost 1 in 5 employees with low job satisfaction change job within six months.
On average, employees with the lowest job satisfaction take 12 more days sick per year than those with the highest job satisfaction.
Source: Videncenter for God Arbejdslyst og Kraka Advisory, 2020-2022.
Questions based on evidence
- develop a common language and frame of reference
GAIS has a well-defined set of questions because we know from research that these particular factors and questions are important for job satisfaction. This means that across the organization you can develop a common frame of reference and language around overall job satisfaction and these seven factors. At the same time, the fixed set of questions allows you to benchmark against your industry or your own previous surveys.
In addition to the GAIS question bank, you can add additional questions that you define yourself. These can be based on a specific or current issue or on the question directory provided by GAIS.