The argument Jenni surfaces is direct: satisfaction is a signal, not a mechanism. Autonomy, feedback, recognition, and meaningful work don't drive performance by themselves — they change the conditions under which capability shows up. Organisations measuring engagement without asking whether the system actually allows people to perform are solving the wrong problem.
Chuck's counter comes from an unexpected place: a school janitor's TikTok about what a great day at work looks like. It's a reminder that satisfaction is defined differently by everyone, and that a lot of what registers as "disengaged" in survey data is actually someone who has exactly what they need to do good work.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/unlockinghumanpotential_job-satisfaction-and-employee-performance-ugcPost-7453397009098698752-w0X1/