February 7, 2020
The UK’s ‘alternative workers’, comprising gig economy workers, freelancers and contractors, have cited lack of pay, benefits and job security as their most significant concerns in new research. Yet according to The 2020 Pulse of Talent report released by Ceridian, plenty of the 536 respondents praised the flexible and ‘interesting’ nature of the work on offer. More →
January 8, 2020
Over a third of UK employees (39 percent) at small-to-medium sized businesses are unhappy with their jobs and 36 percent believe their employer does too little to retain them, according to new research from People First. Exploring the attitudes of 250 bosses and 250 employees across the UK, the research claims to identify a major difference in outlook as more than eight-in-ten (86 percent) SMB bosses believe they have a happy workforce. More →
October 28, 2019
Although more people are in work in the US than at any time in the past 50 years, only 40 percent of American workers say that they work in good jobs, according to a new study (registration) from the Lumina Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Omidyar Network, and Gallup. The report claims that 44 percent of workers surveyed said they had “mediocre” jobs while 16 percent said they were in “bad” jobs. More →
May 24, 2019
The UK workforce is increasingly held back by mental health problems such as stress, depression and anxiety. According to a study of 23,000 full and part time workers by Robert Half UK, more than one in eight (13 percent) UK employees are unhappy at work, accounting for more than 4.3 million people. The UK has the highest rate of unhappiness in the workplace among the countries surveyed, including Canada, Australia, Germany and 4 percent higher than in the US. The research claims that one in three (31 percent) UK respondents admitted to finding their work stressful, while one in 10 (12 percent) employees report being dissatisfied with their work–life balance. More →
December 12, 2018
Over two thirds (69 percent) of full-time employees in the UK are currently unhappy at work, with the majority (88 percent) admitting to regularly doing non-work related activities to ‘make the day go faster’, new research claims. Of the 2,101 respondents surveyed, 61 percent stated that the largest distraction at work is gossiping to other co-workers, followed by almost half (45 percent) spending time procrastinating on Facebook and using personal email (44 percent).
December 14, 2017
The majority (72 percent) of employees in the UK go to work just to afford to live rather than for job satisfaction and one in four are considering a career change in 2018, claims a new survey. According to research conducted by Paymentsense, over half of those questioned say money is their biggest motivation, 67 percent say their degree went to waste and they work in an unrelated role, and 25 percent are considering a whole career change in 2018. According to the 2,000 UK participants in the survey, a career peak occurs at 42 years old, which is when you start to lose passion for your work. At this age, opportunities to progress seem to be rare which is why when asking those in their 40’s ‘why do you go to work every day’? 76 percent say to be able to afford to live. 51 percent say they need to just pay the mortgage and 57 percent have responsibilities to support the family.
August 18, 2017
A majority (85 percent) of 18-34 year olds feel they are not putting their professional ambitions into practice and almost a quarter are unhappy at work, claims a new survey of Millennials by one of the UK’s largest independent higher education institutions, GSM London. By 2020, millennials will make up 35 percent of the global workforce, but despite being the generation told that they can have it all, nearly a third (32 percent) of those surveyed described their work as a ‘means to an end’, with 64 percent describing themselves as having just a ‘job’ rather than a meaningful ‘career’. However, when it comes to pursuing a more meaningful career path, a quarter of respondents cited the pressure of uncertainty (25 percent), disruption to lifestyle (24 percent) and lack of confidence (22 percent) as the main barriers stopping them from fulfilling their goals.
January 19, 2017
A new report from the charity Central YMCA claims to highlight the major role employers have to play in supporting the nation’s wellbeing. The report is based on a study of 1,000 UK adults undertaken by the charity which found that being at work is the most common situation in which people feel their happiness is decreased – with a fifth of people stating this. The research also found that finding free time for leisure, family and friends, and socialising was key to achieving good levels of wellbeing. Respondents stated they feel wellbeing at its highest when on holiday (66 percent), when spending time with family (56 percent), or whilst socialising with friends (49 percent) – signalling the importance of creating a healthy work-life balance. Despite these stats, recent studies show that the average British worker puts in the equivalent of 38 working days over and above their contracted annual hours.
October 28, 2016
Nearly a third of UK workers (30 percent) would not describe themselves as happy at work and would move jobs for better benefits and a more pleasant workplace culture, a new survey claims. The report by Perkbox finds that the power of ‘Thank You’ in business is an overlooked and often underestimated resource, yet its influence to elevate moods, increase engagement and uplift productivity is profound. Over two thirds (69 percent) of UK workers polled rate company perks and benefits as important to their overall satisfaction and more than a quarter (26 percent) rate lack of reward and recognition for good work as their number one grievance at work. Yet over half (53 percent) of UK companies do not formally recognise outstanding employees on a regular basis, while 44 percent believe that rewards and recognition are either very or extremely relevant to their business. UK workers also reported that a toxic negative culture at work was their biggest grievance (cited by 21 percent of respondents) while 17 percent highlighted micro management and 15 percent said long hours. In London, nearly half (48 percent) of workers would be likely to switch to a job that offered better benefits and overall women are more likely than men to consider work/life balance an important factor in switching jobs (41 percent vs 35 percent).
May 8, 2024
British job seekers don’t hear back from almost half (45 percent) of the jobs they apply for, according to a new poll from Indeed. According to ONS data, there are 916,000 job vacancies in the UK, but with frustrations around the hiring process, these aren’t set to be filled quickly or effectively. The survey of 1,000 working people and 1,000 hiring professionals in the UK shows that the hiring process is inefficient for both job seekers and businesses, delaying the right candidate being matched with the right role. More →
April 29, 2024
We now have a policy of not offering ourselves as an outlet for any of the deluge of comment pieces and surveys that are published each year to accompany the various days – and increasingly weeks and months – dedicated to certain conditions like stress and anxiety. They are a gift both to and from the PR industry. This is largely because we cover such issues year round so don’t feel the need to add to the PR feeding frenzy they generate. Whatever you make of the findings of the reports and others like them, even cynics would have to acknowledge they tap into an unmistakable feeling that work is not as enjoyable as it should be. More →
January 21, 2015
Unhappy Gen Y talent will move on this year, if you fail to keep them engaged
by Julia Lindsay • Comment, Flexible working, Workplace
More →