Understanding Job Satisfaction

Aspects of Job Satisfaction

• Job satisfaction means feeling that a job is fulfilling and worthwhile.

• Job satisfaction goes beyond just having a pleasant workplace.

• A run-of-the-mill job may or may not be satisfying.

• Short-term financial reward may be prioritized over job satisfaction for some.

• Staff morale reflects the amount of confidence felt by a person or group.

• Teamwork is when people work together for a common purpose.

• Job stability refers to a job being not likely to change and is a motivator for some.

• Work-life balance is developing or changing very quickly and it is important to some.

• Dynamic companies are continuously developing, which can be challenging but exciting.

• Being demotivated means feeling less enthusiastic about work.

Expressions Connected with Working Life

• Maternity leave is time off for women having a baby.
• Paternity leave is time off for men having a baby.
• Adoption leave is time away from work to prepare for and look after a newly adopted child.
• Perks are informal/extra benefits are formal, and are extra things apart from salary.
• Holiday entitlement is the number of days that one has the right to take as holiday.
• Salary increments are increases/rises, and are formal.
• Performance-related pay rises depend on how well you do your job.
• An annual bonus is extra money paid once a year based on good performance.
• Being overworked and underpaid is often said together as an informal, humorous, fixed expression.
• Voluntary redundancies are when people lose their jobs by offering to do so.
• Compulsory redundancies are when people have no choice about losing their jobs.
• Skeleton staff refers to the minimum number of workers needed to keep operating.
• The interview panel is the group of people interviewing someone for a job.

Exercises - Rewriting Sentences

• Instead of "working as part of a team," use "teamwork."
• Instead of "earning a lot of money," use "short-term financial reward."
• Instead of "giving a presentation to a group of people at interview," use "interview panel".

Finding Opposite Expressions

• Opposite of "a very unusual, exciting job" is a "run-of-the-mill job".
• Opposite of "a person who is highly motivated" is "demotivated".
• Opposite of "rather static and slow-moving profession" is a "fast-moving industry".
• Opposite of "a drop in salary" is "financial reward".
• Opposite of "compulsory redundancy" is "job stability".
• Opposite of "a full staff of workers" is "skeleton staff".
• Opposite of "someone who has a light workload and is paid a lot" is "overworked and underpaid".
• Opposite of "an automatic pay rise each year" is "freeze on a pay rise"

Choosing the Best Word or Phrase

• Job stability is very important for Rafael as he has done the same job for fifteen years and wants it to be secure until he retires.
• Kate has a good work-life balance because she never works late and finds time to relax.
• Dan started work in the fast-moving film industry after graduating from Manchester University.
• Amy joined the law firm for the long-term career prospects they offered.

Correcting Mistakes

• Mother leave should be maternity leave, and father leave should be paternity leave.
• Adapted leave should be adoption leave, and volunteer redundancy should be voluntary redundancy.
• Holiday titlement should be holiday entitlement, and place for work should be workplace.
• Looking for join should be looking to join, and interview jury should be interview panel.
• Skeletal staff should be skeleton staff, and compulsive redundancies should be compulsory redundancies.
• Parks should be perks, and health security should be health insurance.