Job satisfaction does not necessarily remain stable throughout an employee’s time with an organization. Ennova data shows that satisfaction varies with seniority, with employees who have been in the organization for 1 to 3 years showing particularly low levels of job satisfaction.
This period comes after the initial “honeymoon phase”, when the excitement of joining a new organization has often settled and employees have developed a more realistic experience of their role, workplace, and opportunities. Our data also shows a relationship between lower job satisfaction and higher employee turnover.
In this article, we look at how job satisfaction changes over time, where the most important dip appears in our data, and what organizations can learn from it when working with employee retention and the employee journey.
Want to understand the factors that can shape satisfaction in the first place? Explore our article on what drives employee satisfaction.
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How Job Satisfaction Relates to Employee Turnover
Job satisfaction and employee turnover are closely related in Ennova’s data. Employees with lower levels of job satisfaction also tend to have higher turnover rates, making satisfaction an important signal for organizations to monitor.
This relationship does not mean that job satisfaction alone determines whether an employee stays or leaves. Turnover can be influenced by several factors, including development opportunities, leadership, working conditions, compensation, and personal circumstances.
Looking at job satisfaction alongside turnover can nevertheless provide valuable insight into where employee experiences may require closer attention. It can also help organizations explore whether changes in satisfaction are associated with changes in retention across different groups or stages of the employee journey.
The risk of further resignations in the team X number of days after an employee resigns
Job Satisfaction and Turnover: What the Data Shows
Ennova data shows a clear relationship between job satisfaction and employee turnover. The lower the job satisfaction score, the higher the turnover rate tends to be in our data.
Among employees with a job satisfaction score of 40 out of 100, the turnover rate is approximately 30%.
This does not mean that low job satisfaction alone causes employees to leave. Turnover can be influenced by several factors, but the pattern suggests that job satisfaction can be an important signal when organizations are trying to understand retention risk.
Tracking job satisfaction over time, and comparing it across employee groups or levels of seniority, can help organizations identify where lower satisfaction is most pronounced and where further investigation may be needed.
The relationship between job satisfaction and employee turnover in Ennova data.
When Is Job Satisfaction Lowest?
Ennova data shows that job satisfaction varies across different stages of an employee’s time with an organization. In our data, employees with 1 to 3 years of seniority show particularly low levels of job satisfaction compared with several other tenure groups.
This period comes after the initial honeymoon phase, when employees have moved beyond the first impressions of a new role and developed a more realistic experience of the job, workplace, leadership, and development opportunities.
At the same time, our data shows that lower job satisfaction is associated with higher turnover. This does not mean that seniority itself causes dissatisfaction or turnover, but it highlights the 1 to 3-year period as an important stage for organizations to monitor more closely.
Understanding how job satisfaction develops across levels of seniority can help organizations identify where employee experiences may be changing and where more focused follow-up could be useful.
Job satisfaction by employee seniority in Ennova data
How to Support Job Satisfaction After the Honeymoon Phase
The end of the honeymoon phase does not necessarily mean that job satisfaction will decline. However, as employees spend more time in an organization, their expectations and experiences can change. This makes it important to continue listening beyond onboarding and the first months of employment.
Ennova’s data suggests that the period between 1 and 3 years of seniority deserves particular attention. Rather than treating tenure itself as the problem, organizations should explore what employees are experiencing during this stage and which workplace factors may be contributing to lower satisfaction.
Employee feedback can help identify whether changes in satisfaction are related to areas such as leadership, development opportunities, job content, recognition, workload, or working conditions.
The goal is not to respond to every change in a survey score, but to understand the underlying experience and focus on areas where the organization can realistically make a difference.
Collecting feedback at different stages of the employee journey can make these changes easier to identify. Ennova’s Employee Lifecycle Survey can help organizations understand how employee experiences develop from onboarding through later stages of employment.
Why Chase New Talent if They're Gone in a Year?
Recruiting new employees is only part of the challenge. Organizations also need to understand what happens after employees join and what may influence whether they continue to feel satisfied and want to stay.
In this webinar, we explore Ennova data on job satisfaction and turnover and share practical perspectives on how organizations can support employees beyond the initial honeymoon phase.
Learn More in Our Webinar: “Why Chase New Talent if They’re Gone in a Year?”
Want to explore the topic in more depth? In this webinar, Ennova leadership consultant Vibeke Follmann shares practical perspectives on how organizations can work with job satisfaction and retention after the initial honeymoon phase.
The webinar draws on Ennova data and examples from organizations working with employee feedback, including how survey data and exit interviews can help identify patterns behind declining satisfaction and employee turnover.
The webinar was originally recorded in the context of the 2023 labor market, but the discussion focuses on broader questions that remain relevant: how job satisfaction develops over time, what organizations can learn from employee data, and how to create conditions that support employees who want to stay.
