Employee Participation

Financial markets remained subdued Thursday as investors were reluctant to stake out positions ahead of key U.S. jobs data.

Eighty-one percent of U.S. employees report feeling overall satisfied in regards to their positions, according to the 2012 Job Satisfaction and Engagement Research Report by the Society for Human Resource Management.

The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits rose to a seasonally adjusted 367,000, a level consistent with only modest hiring.

U.S. service companies, which employ nearly 90 percent of the work force, grew in September at the fastest pace since March, driven by more activity and an increase in new orders.

A private survey shows that U.S. businesses added fewer workers in September than August, a sign that slow growth may be holding back hiring.

Thirty-six percent of workers report that promotions and bonuses are most likely to keep them engaged; however, only 27 percent of respondents say their employers offer these incentives while 28 percent of respondents say their companies even practice formal systems to recognize and reward employees, according to a study by...