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3/7/04
Boston Workers in other cities are more likely to complain about their bosses than workers in Boston. That was one of the findings of an online job satisfaction poll of 5,086 full-time US employees conducted for America Online by Digital Marketing Services Inc. The poll examined national trends about employee job satisfaction, job hunting plans, use of the Internet in searches, and other job-related issues. Of those polled, 50 percent of the Boston workers said they liked their bosses. By contrast, only 43 percent of workers from other cities said they were happy. That's not all. More than 67.5 percent of the Boston workers were happy or thrilled with their jobs compared to the national average of 62.9 percent. Seventy-three percent of the Boston workers said they felt appreciated at their current workplaces, compared to 66.3 percent for workers elsewhere. Boston workers also reported the second lowest levels of work-related stress. In all, 27.5 percent of the Bostonians said they had low work-related stress levels. In contrast, only 19.6 percent of the workers in the rest of the country felt that way. The city with the nation's happiest workers is Los Angeles, according to the poll. Of those, 71.1 percent were either thrilled or happy with their current jobs compared to the national average of 62.9 percent. The least happy workers? Employees in Denver. The survey said 16.8 percent of the workers in Denver were unhappy or miserable compared to a national average of 11 percent. Detroit workers were the most stressed, with 35 percent complaining of higher than average levels of workplace stress versus the national average of 28.2 percent. More than half of full-time workers say that improvements in the economy will boost their desire to find a new job, according to the survey. It also found that 56.8 percent of workers polled were willing to relocate. In addition, 88.4 percent would switch careers to get their next job. ''These findings come just as the employment picture appears to be turning a corner,'' said the survey. Kate Wendleton was not surprised. Wendleton is president of the Five O'Clock Club, a national networking and career coaching firm based in New York. ''After riding out a long period of economic sluggishness, the American work force is ready for some serious job hopping,'' said Wendleton. ''This survey reveals that even mid-career workers and those most likely to have families are ready and willing to move or switch careers for their next job. All these workers appear to be waiting for is a clear sign of sustainable economic growth.''
Job market Attention, career changers: Physician assistants hold the third-fastest growing professional job in the nation. Information released last month by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the occupation will grow by 49 percent by 2012. By contrast, the government said, total employment will grow by only 15 percent over the same period. Physician assistants have steadily moved up the chain of the nation's health professions. In 1997, it was the 20th fastest growing occupation. By 2001, the profession had climbed to number 12. According to the government, there were 63,000 physician assistant jobs in 2002. That number is expected to increase to 94,000 by 2012. ''This new data released by the US government confirms what we're hearing all the time from the medical community that, as the practice of medicine rapidly changes, more employers are hiring PAs,'' said Stephen Crane, executive vice president and chief executive of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. ''The government is predicting what we're already seeing -- an increasing number of physician assistants in the labor force who work directly with an increasing number of patients.'' The 10-year projections by the bureau look at economic growth, employment by industry and occupation, and changes in the labor force. They are widely used by career guidance professionals to help plan education and training programs and chart economic trends. In contrast, data from the physician assistants' academy monitor the number of people who are entering the field. The academy estimates that there are 50,121 practicing physician assistants in the United States. These professionals made approximately 192 million patient visits in 2003, up from 183 million in 2002, the academy reports. Why the increased demand for physician assistants? According to the US Federal Interagency Forum on Aging Related Statistics, the nation's population is growing older, increasing demand for health care professionals. In all, 13 percent of the current population is 65 or older, compared with only 4 percent in 1900. In an era of increasing healthcare costs, physician assistants are less costly, say specialists. Their services are also in demand at community healthcare centers that serve clients who lack health insurance or have limited coverage. Such facilities may have only one or two doctors in attendance, increasing the need for professionals who can offer care. According to the academy, the physician assistant requires more postsecondary education than most healthcare professions and is the only health profession ranked in the top quartile of the Occupational Employment Statistics' review of annual earnings. The typical physician assistant program lasts 23-25 months and requires at least two years of college and some healthcare experience prior to admission. A 2003 survey by the academy reveals the mean total income for physician assistants in all medical specialties is $76,039, while the mean starting pay for recent grads is $64,565. The mean salary is the midpoint between the highest and lowest pay reported for this profession. The academy describes physician assistants as licensed health professionals who practice medicine under a doctor's supervision. With the help of a team composed of doctors and other healthcare professionals, they conduct physical examinations, diagnose, and treat illnesses, among other tasks.
Compensation Sluggish job growth is pulling down wages, reports the Economic Policy Institute, a liberal think tank in Washington, D.C. ''Wage trends carry a lot of momentum,'' said EPI president Lawrence Mishel. ''It takes a year or longer for job market dynamics to shift wage trends. But once it shifts, it can lead to earnings stagnation and real losses as wage growth falls behind inflation.'' Although US payrolls expanded by 112,000 in January, the best month for job gains since last September, wage growth remained subdued and inflation adjusted weekly earnings, which are now 1.7 percent higher than last year, have been falling, EPI said. The economic research group said payrolls are 2.4 million lower than they were in March 2001, when the recession began. One reason why payrolls are lower: Employers seem to need fewer full-time workers and are relying on more temporary help these days. DIANE E. LEWIS
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