Priscilla Kohl

HR for Small Business Achievers

Looking for Happiness? The Self-Employed May Have Found It!

Are you self-employed? Are you thinking about becoming self-employed?

If so, you may find the following information encouraging and interesting. According to a Sept. 17, 2009, online report published by The Pew Research Center, Take this Job and Love It: Job Satisfaction Highest Among the Self Employed:

• "Self-employed adults are significantly more satisfied with their jobs than other workers."
• Only five percent of self-employed workers surveyed reported that they are dissatisfied with their employment situation.
• It is also worth noting that self-employed workers are more likely to be working for reasons other than just a paycheck. Pew also reported that self-employed workers are more likely to be working for "intangible psychological benefits."

Why do the self-employed work for themselves?

According to the Sept. 2009, Pew Research report referenced above, those surveyed said other factors clearly motivate them to work for themselves. Among them:

1. A desire to live independently.

2. A desire to feel productive.

3. A desire to help improve society.

4. A desire to be more autonomous.

5. A desire to give themselves something to do.

6. A desire to be with other people.

Coincidentally, a New York Times article, The Self-Employed Are the Happiest, published the day before, on Sept. 16, 2009, said that "Business owners are the happiest workers in America…"

All this is not to say self-employed workers feel no pressures or stresses. Not surprising, these workers rate high concerns about financial worries and economic security.

So, although their job satisfaction ratings are higher than workers who are not self-employed, many of the self-employed do struggle financially; and many worry about economic security issues such as health care costs and retirement-financial planning.

In closing, as these dire times illustrate, it seems that everyone is worried about economic security. As most Americans now realize---financial security certainly can be a fleeting thing.

At least—according to those two recent reports—self-employed workers are more likely to look forward to going to work to every day!

Related reading:

Getting to Retirement

Entrepreneurial Resources

 

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