Happy workers are usually productive workers. Packaging professionals must be productive because they’re pretty happy. So says the 2008 Salary Survey from the Institute of Packaging Professionals.

Nearly 70% of survey respondents (from a base of 1,610) are Very Satisfied (32%) or Somewhat Satisfied (37%) with their current working conditions. Another 16% are Neutral, and only 15% are Somewhat Dissatisfied (12%) or Very Dissatisfied (3%).

What’s surprising about this is that many of these same respondents (43% of a respondent base of 1,612) indicate that they are overworked: 7% are Extremely Overburdened and 36% are Somewhat Overburdened. But that leaves almost 60% who are not too busy or are looking for more duties: 36% are Neutral; 18% Desire Some Additional Responsibilities; and 3% Desire Many Additional Responsibilities.

Perhaps packaging professionals are happy because they feel they’re paid well. The Average Total Compensation in 2008 was $101,879 (base of 1,188). From a base of 1,607 respondents, nearly 60% are satisfied with their wages and earnings: 22% are Very Satisfied and 37% are Somewhat Satisfied.

Less than a quarter of respondents are dissatisfied with their wages and earnings: 19% are Somewhat Dissatisfied and 4% are Very Dissatisfied. The remaining 18% are Neutral.

A vast majority of survey respondents are happy enough to stay put in their current job. Only 10% said Definitely Yes that they were actively seeking a new job in 1009. Of the rest (from a base of 1,617 respondents), 18% said Definitely No; 33% said Not Likely; 17% are Neutral; and 22% said Possibly.

Who are these satisfied packaging professionals? They’re your customers, co-workers and employees. From a base of 1,614, 50% of respondents are End Users of Packaging Materials/Services; 35% are Suppliers of Packaging Materials/Services; 9% are Both; and 6% are Other.