Florida was named the third unhappiest state for employees according to a recently released nationwide happiness index. It named Alaska the state with the happiest employees, while Georgia faces challenges with the worst job satisfaction.
The ranking, created by HR technology experts at SelectSoftware Reviews, measured key metrics such as annual wages, quit rates, injuries, commute times, PTO (paid time off) laws, and weekly working hours. They gave each state a happiness score out of 100 to reveal the best and worst states for job satisfaction.
The Best States for Employees
States that scored highest tended to have higher pay, shorter hours, and shorter commute times. Though people such as omniverts and ambiverts may have different preferences, these factors are universal.
1. Alaska
Alaska clinched the title 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.
However, the state with the highest average wage came out as Massachusetts at $58,450 per annum, but Alaska comes close with only a 7.5% difference.
2. Rhode Island
Second place, at a total score of 56.64, is Rhode Island. With a thriving job market, PTO laws, and a modest quit rate of 2.4%, it also has the lowest injury rate of any state, with only five fatal incidences reported in the previous year.
3. North Dakota
North Dakota ranked third with a score of 56.40, thanks to its comfortable annual wage of $47,400 and a short average commute of just 17.6 minutes.
In comparison, the longest commute came out as 33.5 minutes in New York. Longer commutes can be detrimental to mental health and employee morale, as they significantly extend the workday, and problems like heavy traffic can increase overall stress.
4. Colorado
Colorado upholds a comfortable average wage of $50,250, with modest injury and quit rates and consistently below-average working hours of 39.4 per week, securing a total score of 55.76.
5. Minnesota
Despite its above-average working week at 40.2 hours, Minnesota is next on the list. With a low quit rate of 1.8% and generous PTO laws, it scores 55.26.
The other states scoring highly on the 100-point scale and making the top ten were:
- 6. Nebraska earned a respectable 54.91
- 7. Maine, with a score of 53.98.
- 8. Ohio at 52.02
- 9. Arizona with 51.69
- 10. Indiana accumulated a total of 48.84 out of 100.
States with the Least Happy Employees
In the following states, workers are far less happy. It isn’t that they hated working, but conditions were worse, the pay was generally lower, and so overall satisfaction levels suffered.
50. Georgia
In contrast, Georgia came out as the worst-performing state for job satisfaction, scoring an overall 29.62. It has the highest quit rate, 3.6%, of any contender, ranks poorly for general state happiness, and grapples with an average commute time of 28.7 minutes.
49. Texas
In Texas, a considerable challenge arises with a staggering 533 fatal workplace injuries per year, coupled with the second-longest average working week, trailing only behind Louisiana, at 43.6 hours. These factors contribute to an overall score of 30.36.
48. Florida
Florida comes next with a total of 30.46. Taking home an average wage of $38,470 and a long working week of 41.5 hours, the average Floridian only earns $18 p/h compared to the $32 p/h earned in Alaska. The state’s lack of PTO laws brings down overall employee satisfaction.
47. New York
In the heart of the Big Apple, despite holding the third-highest average wage at $52,470, New York has a high injury rate – causing over 247 fatalities last year – and the longest commute time of any state. Consequently, it accumulated a final score of 31.51.
46. South Carolina
Employees in South Carolina encounter significant challenges, earning notably $13,000 less than their Alaskan counterparts, at $38,870. South Carolina ranks poorly in overall state happiness and sustains a high quit rate of 3.1%. Meaning it only wrestles a total employee satisfaction score of 31.65.
Completing the top ten states with the least satisfied employees is Alabama at 32.68, closely followed by Pennsylvania at 33.14 and Virginia at 33.26. New Jersey scores 34.09, along with New Mexico rounding out the list at 34.25.
Unhappy? Consider Moving State
Phil Strazzulla, CEO of SelectSoftware Reviews, commented: “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.”
Of course, other factors, such as social lives and personality types, also impact how happy people feel at work. So before considering moving state to find a new position, job seekers should ensure it’s their job they really need to change.