Job Satisfaction And Aboriginal Labour Mobility Among Nonreserve Populations: An Overlooked Variable?

Abstract

With a focus on the non-reserve Aboriginal population of Manitoba, this article examines the extent to which job satisfaction influences labour mobility. The study incorporates into the analysis a comparison of this factor to such other variables as job security, gender, age, education, as well as Aboriginal identity (i.e., First Nations, Métis, etc.). The author concludes that among those who are employed in the non-reserve population, two variables stand out as being statistically significant in association to mobility: age and job satisfaction. At the same time, many other variables in this population of employed individuals do not stand out as being statistically significance, most notably gender and education. It is hoped that this paper will further discussions among policy makers and program strategists regarding the "whys" behind population mobility rather than simply the "who" when addressing issues involving labour mobility. This study therefore pertains directly to the topics of demography, human resources, and social policy as they together apply to Métis, non-status Indians, and First Nations people residing off-reserve. The results for this study are based on a random and representative sample of 1,019 self-identified Aboriginal respondents, of which 362 were employed full-time at the time of the interview and were residing in a non-reserve community in Manitoba.