Mirza & Nacey Research
Career Satisfaction Architects were invited to rate their satisfaction with four professional areas: career; pay; business environment and quality of life. Respondents selected their satisfaction level on a scale of 0 (totally dissatisfied) to 10 (totally satisfied). The greatest satisfaction is recorded for the choice of architecture as a career; the average score here is 7.7 out of 10. Next highest is satisfaction with the business environment – colleagues, fellow professionals, public planning bodies and so on. Quality of life scores 5.9 on the scale, while least satisfaction of any criteria measured – with a score of 4.7 – is the amount architects are paid.
In answers to all questions, the highest satisfaction levels are recorded by public sector architects, and the lowest by Principals / Directors in private practice. Geographically, architects in the Scandinavian countries and the Netherlands consistently record the highest satisfaction levels. For example, quality of life is rated between 7.7 and 7.9 in Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands; well above the average 5.9 across Europe. Architects in no single country consistently report lowest satisfaction ratings, but those in Germany and Turkey have the lowest quality of life rating (5.5). Least satisfaction with pay is reported in Germany, Austria and Belgium.
CHART 4-9 Professional satisfaction, ranked, highest first satisfaction with ...
choice of career as an architect
business environment
quality of life
amount of pay
0 <<<
1 less satisfied
2
3
4 5 6 respondents' average rating
The Architectural Profession in Europe - Final, 18/12/08
7
8
9
more satisfied
10 >>>
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