by
Pamela Skillings
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A majority of small business workers love their jobs, according to a recent survey. iContact, a company that provides email and survey services for small businesses, reached out to 1,124 men and women employed by small companies and found that 75% said they would rate their jobs an 8, 9, or 10 on a scale of 1 to 10. Less than 3% rated their job a 3 or below.
Compare those numbers to general job satisfaction survey results, which say that upwards of 50% of workers are actively dissatisfied at work.
What’s so great about working for a small business? While researching my book, I talked to several people who left the corporate ladder to take on roles at small companies and start-ups. Most were attracted by the opportunity to play a more active role in building a business they believed in. Many also cited fringe benefits like greater work/life balance, freedom from bureaucracy, and better relationships with managers and co-workers.
Most importantly, all of the people that I spoke with were having a blast. They were passionate about their work. Of course, it didn’t hurt that many of them worked at cool companies like Kidrobot and Word World.
Working for a small company certainly isn’t for everyone. Salaries tend to be lower than those offered in Corporate America, though small companies often try to compensate with ownership stakes and other benefits. Small companies also offer less structure and support. There aren’t a lot of extra budget dollars for administrative support, company cars, and team-building retreats.
And there are plenty of mismanaged and misconceived small companies out there, so it’s important to do your due diligence. During the dot com bust, many of us learned firsthand what can happen when incompetent and/or clinically insane CEOs get millions in venture capital to throw around.
What do you think? Would you rather work for a start-up or a big corporation? Why do more small business employees love their jobs?
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