6 Trending Topics for Research on Employee Satisfaction
As workplaces evolve, so do employees’ expectations, motivations, and definitions of satisfaction. Whether you are a researcher, current HR employee or HR services start-up – it is high time turning your attention to understand how workplace culture, HR practices, values, and generational differences influence job satisfaction and commitment. These insights not only help companies improve retention but also strengthen overall productivity and morale. In this blog, we cover six trending topics of research on employee satisfaction that are gaining attention across industries — especially in India’s dynamic work environment.
1. Perception of organisations towards remote and hybrid culture
Since the pandemic, remote and hybrid work setups have become the new normal. But how do employees perceive this shift? Does working remotely affect team dynamics, collaboration, or satisfaction?
Research in this area explores how employees experience flexibility, autonomy, communication, and productivity while working from home versus from the office. Organisations are increasingly interested in comparing these experiences to design policies that work best for both individuals and teams.
Example Survey Questions:
- On average, how many days per week do you work from home?
- Do you observe any difference in team culture when working remotely versus in the office?
Research Tip: For this topic of research on employee satisfaction, run a comparative study between work-from-office and work-from-home (remote) employees. You can also do a time-series analysis: survey the same employees in H1 and H2 of the year using identical parameters, and track how perceptions evolve over time.
2. Employee experiences and outcomes at workplace
A satisfied and appreciated employee tends to be more loyal and productive. Several studies now focus on identifying the elements that contribute to a positive employee experience — such as timely recognition, a transparent reward policy, role clarity, and growth opportunities.
This area of research is vital in understanding how everyday interactions shape employee mindset and long-term commitment to the organisation.
Example Survey Questions:
- How confident do employees feel while at the workplace?
- Do employees feel happy and engaged during work hours?
Research Tip: Conduct periodic surveys (e.g., every six months) using the same evaluation framework. Analysing trends over time can reveal what workplace changes are actually making a difference to employee satisfaction.
3. HR practices & feedback mechanisms in the organisations
Human Resources plays a critical role in shaping employee satisfaction – from onboarding and training to recognition and retention. More researchers are now evaluating how employees perceive the effectiveness of HR policies and whether these policies are aligned with employee needs.
This interesting topic of research on employee satisfaction often explores the feedback loop between employees and HR, and how responsive HR departments are to emerging workplace trends.
Example Survey Questions:
- How easy/difficult is it for your team to interact with HR?
- Does the organisation provides adequate time and resources for training?
Live Example: A researcher from Jamia Milia Islamia University conducted a survey-based study on HR practices and employee satisfaction utilising online data collection services. The study explored personality traits and attributes of working professionals, leadership styles and team bonding behaviour.
4. Employee perception in organization context
Employee satisfaction is deeply influenced by how individuals perceive their peers, managers, and workplace environment. Questions like “How do employees resolve workplace conflicts?” or “What do they say about the organisation outside work?” are gaining traction in organisational behaviour studies.
Researchers studying this topic of research on employee satisfaction look at stress management, internal communication, peer collaboration, and external reputation. Organisations use such insights to enhance engagement and foster a supportive work environment.
Example Survey Questions:
- How comfortable do you feel sharing honest feedback with your team?
- Do you feel supported by your colleagues during high-pressure situations?
Research Tip: Use both quantitative and qualitative data. Add open-ended questions to capture personal experiences and opinions that structured choices might miss. Read these 5 must-haves before your start with primary data collection for research, it will give you the right direction to start.
5. Values and goals of working professionals
Understanding what working professionals value today – especially across different age groups, helps employers align job roles with employee aspirations. Research in this area examines how goals like continuous learning, job security, social contribution, and financial growth affect satisfaction.
These insights are particularly useful in designing personalised growth paths and crafting retention strategies that resonate with evolving professional mindsets.
Example Survey Questions:
- How important is professional growth to you?
- To what extent do your personal values align with your organisation’s mission?
Research Tip: Conduct comparative studies between EV users and non-users to uncover attitudes and willingness to switch from traditional fuel-based vehicles for personal or commercial use, adding depth and actionable insights to policy recommendations or marketing strategies.
6. Organizational commitment – Gen Y vs Gen Z employees
As Gen Z enters the workforce and Millennials take on leadership roles, researchers are keen to study how generational differences influence organisational commitment. This includes analysing career aspirations, emotional connection to the workplace, and willingness to go beyond assigned responsibilities.
This 2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey study conducted by Deloitte reports some interesting insights. This research is especially relevant for organisations seeking to build multigenerational teams that are cohesive and future-ready.
Example Survey Questions:
- Do you see yourself working with this organisation three years from now?
- How often do you volunteer for tasks beyond your job description?
Research Tip: Focus on personality profiling in your surveys. Correlate these with commitment scores across generations to see how different mindsets influence loyalty and initiative-taking.
How to start: A Quick Guide
“I have the idea, but don’t know where to start.”
“I have the questionnaire ready, but stuck at data collection stage.”
We have heard this more often than you would think. If you have ever felt stuck – you are not alone.
Before launching research on employee satisfaction, define your target audience, and be precise what you want to ask in the questionnaire. For data collection – best would be to cover employees across all departments of all seniority levels. With an equal distribution of gender, age groups, income, etc. You can use multiple options like email list for bulk email sending, recruiting on social media or even utilize online survey panel.
In today’s evolving work landscape, employee satisfaction research plays a vital role in shaping healthier, more productive workplaces. Whether you’re an academic researcher or an HR professional, these trending topics offer a strong foundation to explore real employee experiences. The insights you uncover can help organisations build better cultures, retain talent, and drive long-term growth. With the right tools and data collection approach, you can turn your research ideas into impactful findings that truly influence the future of work.
