YouGov report shows that only one in five Britons are satisfied with their job

According to YouGov research, over a third of Brits don’t like their job, with men less likely to say they enjoy their jobs than women.

While pay continues to be a factor valued most by employees, only 47% of Brits are satisfied with the level of their pay. However, the shocking truth is only 20% of Brits think they’re in good jobs with a relatively decent wage.

In light of this, Instant Offices have looked into the factors that can help boost the satisfaction of Brits who still have indifferent feelings towards their jobs.

The top five reasons why employees look to hand in their notices:

Low salary (35%)
Job tenure (23%)
Monotonous or boring work (22%)
Job location or length of commute (20%)
Disapproval of their boss or line manager (18%)
The Dimensions of Job Quality

While mental health and well-being remain a priority to employees and employers, the UK workforce is trending towards flexibility and better work-life balance. There are several factors that should be prioritised when looking to help boost employee satisfaction and retain talent, while also reducing the costs of overheads within the company:

Freedom and flexibility – 76% say they have some freedom over the way they work, whether that’s working from home, from a co-working space or working flexible hours. However, as the modern workplace continues to see a shift in values, research over the past few years shows that just over half of Brits want to work a four four-day week, much like their European counterparts.

Work-life balance – As a buzzword of 2019, “work-life balance” will continue to have increasing precedence for the foreseeable future as many people adapt their lives to create a better work-life balance. Once second to pay, many Brits are now swapping salary for satisfaction, and in some cases opting for balance and happiness over progression.

Inclusion and representation – 22% of workers say their environment is not inclusive enough, however around half of all younger jobseekers prioritise a culture of diversity and inclusion when choosing prospective employers. Further data from the 2018 Deloitte Millennial Survey, 74% of people in the Millennial age group believe their workplace is more innovative when the culture is more inclusive.

Health and wellbeing – Up to 1 in 4 UK workers report intense and stressful working conditions, with a high workload causing 44% of stress and depression at work. However, according to a survey by Perkbox, 45% of employees say their place of work does not have anything in place to help reduce stress levels and improve their mental health.

Relationships at work – Research shows that employee performance is significantly enhanced when co-workers develop a strong friendship. However, in 2018, 3 in 10 employees reported at least one form of bullying or harassment within the workplace.

Time being set aside for communication and building relationships within the team is seen to boost productivity and is the reason most workers say they have good relationships with their managers and colleagues.

Further YouGov research can be viewed on the website.