Construction Workers Are the Happiest Employees in America – Here’s Why

Confucius once said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” According to 2015 Best Industry Ranking Report from TINYpulse, he could have been talking about the construction industry. The report – which collected data via anonymous single-question feedback surveys from over 30,000 employees across more than 500 organizations from 12 unique industries – has determined that construction and facility service workers are the happiest employees in the nation.

The consumer products sector came in second, followed by technology and software. Telecom, energy, and utilities are combined, in fourth place. Healthcare came in fifth, with manufacturing in last place.

While we tend to think of well-paid fields such as investment banking and financial management as home to happy employees, that isn’t necessarily the case. According to TINYpulse, the two primary reasons employees gave to explain their happiness at work were satisfaction with colleagues and enjoyment of individual projects. The survey found that 34% of the happiest employees say their colleagues drive their workplace satisfaction, rating them 8.5 out of 10. The construction industry is known for good relationships, particularly between on-site workers. The high level of responsibility placed on employees also led to job satisfaction, with 19% citing excitement about their current work and projects.

On the other hand, the top negative factors from the TINYpulse surveys are related to a lack of managerial support. Nearly half – or 49% – of employees reported that a negative relationship with their supervisor factored into their overall dissatisfaction. They mentioned that their managers communicate poorly, don’t make time for their team and don’t seem to care about the personal development of their employees. A construction project management software quickly mitigates all lack of disconnect with regards to communication.

Related: What Makes a Great Construction Project Manager in 2015

In addition to job dissatisfaction with relation to communication, many respondents reported that management showed little personal interest in employee welfare. A lack of emphasis on safety sends the message to employees that management doesn’t care what happens to them. Implementing regular safety meetings and making safety manuals and procedures available to employees lets them know they are working in a safe environment, and that management values both their skills and their safety.