Millions of UK workers failing to find job satisfaction
By Martin Kornacki (24-09-2009)
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More than one in five of the UK workforce does not feel fulfilled in their jobs, according to research.
And among younger employees, considered those aged between 16 -to 35-years-old, the rate of dissatisfaction stands at almost a quarter.
The survey of 1,000 adults by SHL, a global workplace talent assessment organisation, found 23 per cent of young workers say they do not feel they are in the right job for them, compared to 17 per cent of the general population.
This lack of job satisfaction could be a time bomb for employers, say SHL, because almost a third of workers questioned said they have re-evaluated the type of organisation for which they work as a result of the recession and a quarter say they are considering a change of career when the economy improves.
David Leigh, CEO of SHL, said: “Lack of job fulfilment and job fit will have an impact on employee engagement, motivation and therefore productivity and this is not something that employers can afford in the current economic climate.
“It is vital that employers maximise their talent at this time which means having the right people in the right roles, where they feel fulfilled and are able to work to the best ability.
“Without this, organisations will struggle to retain employees once the economy picks up and this will have significant consequences for their success in the long term.”
The desire by employees to enjoy work and to work for an organisation with similar values is being labelled the ‘recession re-think’ by SHL.
Again this appears to be an even greater issue among younger members of the workforce, with close to half of those under 35 saying they have re-evaluated the kind of organisation they want to work for and more than a third saying they are considering a change of career when the economy improves.
According to researchers the majority say this is because they want more job security and to find a job that they enjoy.
Workers in retail, leisure and catering industries were found to have the least job satisfaction followed by the public sector.
Those in healthcare and education were found to be the most fulfilled with more than half of those questioned saying they are fulfilled most or all of the time.
“To help ensure they have the right people in the right roles, employers need to have an understanding of the competencies required and assess and develop employees against these, both at the recruitment stage and throughout their time with the company,” concluded Leigh.
“Doing this increases the chances that employees will perform well, benefiting both themselves and the business. Regular engagement and motivation surveys are also useful to highlight any problem areas, and address these before it’s too late.”
The national average for job fulfilment is just under half the workforce at 44 per cent.
And among younger employees, considered those aged between 16 -to 35-years-old, the rate of dissatisfaction stands at almost a quarter.
The survey of 1,000 adults by SHL, a global workplace talent assessment organisation, found 23 per cent of young workers say they do not feel they are in the right job for them, compared to 17 per cent of the general population.
This lack of job satisfaction could be a time bomb for employers, say SHL, because almost a third of workers questioned said they have re-evaluated the type of organisation for which they work as a result of the recession and a quarter say they are considering a change of career when the economy improves.
David Leigh, CEO of SHL, said: “Lack of job fulfilment and job fit will have an impact on employee engagement, motivation and therefore productivity and this is not something that employers can afford in the current economic climate.
“It is vital that employers maximise their talent at this time which means having the right people in the right roles, where they feel fulfilled and are able to work to the best ability.
“Without this, organisations will struggle to retain employees once the economy picks up and this will have significant consequences for their success in the long term.”
The desire by employees to enjoy work and to work for an organisation with similar values is being labelled the ‘recession re-think’ by SHL.
Again this appears to be an even greater issue among younger members of the workforce, with close to half of those under 35 saying they have re-evaluated the kind of organisation they want to work for and more than a third saying they are considering a change of career when the economy improves.
According to researchers the majority say this is because they want more job security and to find a job that they enjoy.
Workers in retail, leisure and catering industries were found to have the least job satisfaction followed by the public sector.
Those in healthcare and education were found to be the most fulfilled with more than half of those questioned saying they are fulfilled most or all of the time.
“To help ensure they have the right people in the right roles, employers need to have an understanding of the competencies required and assess and develop employees against these, both at the recruitment stage and throughout their time with the company,” concluded Leigh.
“Doing this increases the chances that employees will perform well, benefiting both themselves and the business. Regular engagement and motivation surveys are also useful to highlight any problem areas, and address these before it’s too late.”
The national average for job fulfilment is just under half the workforce at 44 per cent.
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