Latest news with #EstonianBiobank
Economic Times
21-05-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
New study uncovers the world's most and least satisfying jobs, and the results will shock you: Is it not about money or status?
The Science Behind the Smiles Heavenly Careers: Writing, Healing, and the Soul's Work iStock Among the professions that ranked highest in satisfaction were clergy members, healthcare professionals, and writers. The Daily Grind: Where Satisfaction Sputters iStock Interestingly, the study found that highly structured jobs with lots of responsibility, such as corporate managers, also fared poorly in satisfaction. Prestige and Pay: Mere Illusions? Why the Self-Employed Are (Usually) Happier A Culturally Grounded Truth—But With Global Echoes In a world where we often equate job titles with success and salaries with happiness, a groundbreaking new study flips the script on everything we thought we knew about career satisfaction. Conducted by researchers at the University of Tartu in Estonia, the study explores a deceptively simple question: What makes a job truly satisfying?And the answers might just surprise to an article on the New Scientist, drawing on data from over 59,000 people and a whopping 263 different professions, the research team—led by Kätlin Anni—dug deep into the Estonian Biobank . Participants had not only donated blood but also answered detailed surveys about their careers, income levels, personalities, and overall satisfaction with life. The result? Arguably the most comprehensive look yet at what jobs actually make people happy—or no, it's not about driving a Porsche to a high-rise the professions that ranked highest in satisfaction were clergy members, healthcare professionals, and writers. These jobs, while vastly different in day-to-day function, share a common thread: a strong sense of purpose. Whether it's tending to the spiritual needs of a community, saving lives, or crafting words that move people, these careers seem to offer something money can't buy— says that these findings highlight a powerful truth: jobs offering a sense of achievement and service to others deliver a deeper kind of fulfillment. Even if they don't come with the glamor of a corner office or the thrill of a million-dollar deal, they connect with something elemental in the human the other end of the spectrum, jobs in kitchens, warehouses, manufacturing, transportation, and sales were associated with the lowest satisfaction scores. Add to that roles like security guards, mail carriers, carpenters, and even chemical engineers, and the pattern becomes clearer—when routine meets rigidity, joy often exits the the study found that highly structured jobs with lots of responsibility, such as corporate managers, also fared poorly in satisfaction. The stress and lack of autonomy, it seems, can sap even the most prestigious role of its of the most revelatory insights from the research was that neither job prestige nor a fat paycheck was a reliable predictor of satisfaction. 'I was expecting job prestige to be more associated with satisfaction, but there was only a slight correlation,' Anni admits. The takeaway? A big title or a six-figure salary doesn't necessarily translate to waking up excited for autonomy, creativity, and the chance to make a tangible impact played far more decisive roles in how people felt about their jobs—and their there's one group that seems to have cracked the happiness code, it's the self-employed. Their secret? Freedom. The ability to set their own schedules, make decisions independently, and shape their workdays allows them a level of agency often missing in more conventional doesn't mean self-employment is for everyone, but it does speak volumes about the value of autonomy in the workplace—a factor that might be worth prioritizing over perks and the study is based in Estonia, its findings resonate far beyond its borders. Although cultural norms might influence how job satisfaction is experienced, the overarching trends—purpose over prestige, autonomy over authority—are universally an era increasingly defined by burnout, quiet quitting, and career pivots, these findings arrive like a timely reminder: fulfillment isn't found in your bank balance or your LinkedIn bio. It's found in the quiet hum of work that feels right—for the next time you daydream about your ideal job, don't just chase the dollar. Ask yourself what kind of work would actually light you up inside. Science now backs what many have long suspected—happiness at work has less to do with status and everything to do with meaning.
The Star
20-05-2025
- General
- The Star
Why job satisfaction is more than a question of salary or prestige
Several factors influence job satisfaction, but neither the level of remuneration nor the prestige of the position are decisive. — Photo: dragana991/ Getty Images, via ETX Daily Up Many surveys concur that employees are increasingly disillusioned, reduced to working "just" for their wages. This gloomy view of the professional world is fortunately tempered by a recent Estonian study. It claims that some jobs really do make people happy. And they're not necessarily the ones you might think. The study is based on data from the Estonian Biobank, a nationwide project involving thousands of participants. Each participant completed a lengthy questionnaire after a blood donation. The survey covered their current occupation, salary, psychological profile and level of satisfaction with various aspects of their lives. By cross-referencing the responses of 59,042 volunteers with the precise characteristics of their jobs, the researchers were able to establish an average satisfaction index for each profession. Based on this information, they drew up a ranking of 263 professions according to the level of satisfaction they offer. The top occupations are those in which people find meaning in what they do. From priests to doctors and writers, these occupations share a strong sense of personal commitment and a direct link with others. On the other hand, professions where working conditions are considered difficult, such as kitchen work, storage, manufacturing or sales, appear to be the least fulfilling. How work can influence life The study also took into account life satisfaction as a whole, and not just that linked to professional activity. As a result, certain professions – such as psychologist, special-needs teacher, sheet-metal worker or ship engineer – stand out as having a higher level of life satisfaction. Conversely, security guards, waiters, mail carriers and carpenters have a lower overall level of satisfaction. Overall, several factors influence happiness at work, but neither salary level nor job prestige seem to be decisive factors. "I was expecting the job prestige to be more associated with satisfaction, but there was only a slight correlation," study coauthor, Kätlin Anni, of the University of Tartu, told New Scientist. "Jobs with a higher sense of achievement are associated with higher satisfaction, and even lower-prestige jobs can be quite fulfilling." In other words, an undervalued or even overlooked profession can become a source of profound pride if it enables the person doing it to feel useful, recognized and in tune with their values. Stress also plays a key role. Some positions of responsibility, particularly in large corporations, are subject to excessive pressure and rigidity, which weighs heavily on personal well-being. On the other hand, self-employed workers, who are freer to manage their own schedules, appear to be more fulfilled overall. But can these results be applied to other countries? Caution is advised, as professional experiences are shaped by local realities. Cultural norms, social expectations and economic conditions are just some of the factors that influence perceptions of work. But this study opens up some interesting perspectives for rethinking the place of work in our quest for well-being. Maybe the ideal job isn't the one we always dreamed of, but the one in which we find the most meaning... — AFP Relaxnews
