EMS Worker Satisfaction: Results From a National Survey 

Introduction: Management theory indicates a happy employee is a productive employee and employee satisfaction is a leading cause of both retention and resignation. As the price tag of replacing an employee surges into five figures, EMS organizations must explore what truly makes workers “happy.” Even small changes can exponentially affect a positive work environment at a fraction of the cost of turnover. 

Methods: An electronic survey was distributed via e-mail and social media to workers who held a prehospital provider credential. All responses were anonymous, and no personally identifying data were collected. Respondents did not receive compensation for their participation. For analysis, Likert-type questions were used with a five-point scale. For tests of inference, the authors employed chi-square tests, logistic regression, and ordered logistic regression. 

Results: The survey distribution yielded 703 responses. A majority of participants reported they were happy with their current job (79.4%) and secure in their employment (72%). As to equipment and staffing, 72% felt as though they had the necessary equipment to perform their duties, but only 44% deemed their organization adequately staffed. A plurality (47.6%) believed they were not paid a fair salary, but a majority (59.7%) indicated they received adequate vacation time/leave. When rating their work environment, a quarter of participants (25.2%) stated they had been bullied at work, and 37.9% were uncomfortable requesting sick time/leave. Participants were 2.3 times more likely to report being happy with their job if they agreed their organization was adequately staffed, and two times more likely to be happy if they agreed they had adequate equipment. Additionally, respondents were 89% more likely to report happiness if they felt their employer was meeting their mental health needs. Respondent salary was not associated with job satisfaction. 

Conclusion: Most respondents were happy in their current job. Adequate equipment, staffing, and mental health resources were the largest drivers of satisfaction. Although nearly half of participants believed they were not paid a fair salary, it did not affect their overall satisfaction. The results of this survey indicate managers should focus on a suite of well-rounded employee resources.