Anyone who is unhappy in their job cannot perform at their full potential. Who would push themselves to the limit when the working conditions are unreasonable and you feel like you give a lot while receiving far too little in return? Dissatisfaction curbs motivation and productivity, creates a poor working atmosphere, and weakens the company as a whole. This is obvious and supported by numerous studies.
But does the reverse also apply – Are those who are satisfied also engaged? Not necessarily – and actually a contradiction by definition: Duden: „satisfied – being in harmony with the given situation, circumstances, and conditions, and therefore internally balanced and not wishing for any change in circumstances Or perhaps even more aptly explained by the DWDS (Digital Dictionary of the German Language) – „agreeing with the given, the circumstances and conditions, what is available and achieved, without special wishes, content
That cannot be what employers want: employees who are completely complacent, who lean back and refuse to budge; whose ultimate goal is for everything to remain exactly as it is. How did this direct link between satisfaction and performance come to be established?
To be honest, it is neither the central concern nor the task of the employer to make employees satisfied.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with taking employees' needs seriously and putting a lot of effort into it – quite the contrary. However, this is rarely done without ulterior motives – without the expectation that top performance will be delivered in return.
The pursuit of employee satisfaction conceals the implicit demand for engagement.
Sometimes, those who wave the flag of "happy and satisfied employees" – those who want to score points with the best accommodations, the best staff meals, and the highest appreciation – have the harshest working conditions and are also offended if they do not receive the gratitude they feel they deserve. However, the truth about the working atmosphere and leadership qualities comes to light very quickly in the age of social media and feedback platforms, often revealing a completely different picture from what is propagated in recruitment. The louder "happy staff" is touted, the greater the eventual disillusionment when the seemingly generous offer is tied to outdated carrot-and-stick management methods.
Postulating employee satisfaction per se as the ultimate premise is disingenuous and leads to mutual disappointment. This does not have to be the case if there is open communication from the start and expectations are discussed explicitly.
The employer's task is to create the optimal conditions for performance, to support employees in their self-efficacy, and to give them the opportunity and continuous incentive to succeed in their jobs with all their know-how, strengths, and skills – regardless of their position.
Employee satisfaction and engagement cannot be measured independently of each other.
The truth is: We do not want "satisfied" employees, but ambitious, dynamic, and purposeful employees who can (and want to!) perform; whose need is to continuously develop and grow together with the company. Only with a correlating increase does a win-win situation arise and the upward spiral of satisfaction and engagement is set in motion.
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