On a scale of one to 10, the majority (80 per cent) of Canadian employees rate their level of job satisfaction between seven and 10, with 7.7 being the average level of satisfaction, according to a new survey by Statistics Canada.

The survey, which polled Canadian employees aged 15 to 69, found average levels of satisfaction ranged from 7.4 among employees with weekly earnings in the bottom 10 per cent to 8.0 among those with earnings in the top 10 per cent. For employees experiencing financial challenges, their average level of job satisfaction was 6.9, compared to 8.1 among those who are easily meeting their financial needs.

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Some of the highest average levels of job satisfaction were reported by employees working in the sports industry (8.9), middle management occupations in production and agriculture (8.5), technical equipment operation (8.5) and legislative and senior management occupations (8.5).

By contrast, workers in occupations related to mail distribution, road transport and sales support were among the least satisfied with their job, including workers in mail and message distribution occupations (6.9) and transport drivers, operators and labourers (7.0).

Employees in sales support occupations — covering cashiers, service station attendants and similar occupations — had the lowest average hourly wages and a relatively low level of job satisfaction (7.1). Nurses and allied health professionals, as well as workers assisting to support health services, all posted a below-average job satisfaction score (7.4).

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