Big companies equal Happier employees, study indicates

Large companies scored 2.67 points in satisfaction compared to 2.64 points for companies below the 1000 employee mark

smaller companies employees may feel they have greater control over their role in the organization and workplace environment

TORONTO- Employees at larger companies are generally happier about their jobs than those at smaller organizations, according to a recent study.

Companies with more than 1,000 people scored marginally better than smaller corporations in the category of 750 employees or 500 employees or less.

Over 31,000 employees from Canada, U.S and Mexico participated in the study between 2002 and 2007. The study was conducted by The Beacon Group, a HR advisement and services firm which has been tracking employee satisfaction at hundreds of companies internationally.

"The prevailing assumption is that smaller companies can generate more employee satisfaction with smaller communities and more direct involvement," says Shannon Couch, Vice President Product Planning & Development at The Beacon Group.

Large companies scored 2.67 points in satisfaction compared to 2.64 points for companies below the 1000 employee mark. The Employee Survey measured satisfaction based on 4 key categories, including management support & quality, future career development, compensation and work environment & co-workers.

Large companies scored equal or higher in every category of the Employee Survey, particularly in compensation and future career development. "Teamwork & Collaboration" and "Value, Recognition & Appreciation" were cited as the best advantages of large corporations over small companies.

But the results of the Employee Survey may not tell the whole story. "Employees at smaller companies may feel they have greater control over their role in the organization and workplace environment," says Shannon Couch.

"This can translate into more critical scores in employee surveys, where employees at larger companies may have become complacent about their ability to shape their workplace environment".

Individual results of the Employee Surveys conducted by The Beacon Group were completely confidential. The Employee Survey provided to these employees featured over 60 questions on their work environment.