25% of Australians are unhappy in their job, with a staggering 70% wanting to pursue a different career, according to new research commissioned by the Nutritional Therapy Association of Australia (NTA).
The research found that not being paid enough (53%) is the most common reason for job dissatisfaction, with office politics (40%) and the work not being challenging enough (33%), also contributing to a miserable workforce.
An increasing number of Australians are also seeking a career that fits within their lifestyle, with two-thirds (68%) prioritising a positive work-life balance and half (47%) craving a career they are actually passionate about.
According to the research “We are seeing an increasing number of people with a range of experience and education, looking for a fulfilling career that allows for a positive work-life balance.”
According to another survey of over 12,000 North Americans what drives workplace happiness revealed that most professionals are generally content and on a happiness scale.
Having pride in the organization they work for was the number one driver of happiness among respondents and those workers were three times more likely to be happy than those who without a sense of pride for their employer.
This survey also proved that respect and appreciation are well-valued by workers, coming in second and third respectively as the top happiness drivers.
The survey also revealed that small companies seem to have an easier time when it comes to keeping their workforce happy – people working in firms with 10 or fewer employees were revealed to have the highest happiness levels whereas organizations with 10,000 or more reported the lowest.
Certain roles were also far more likely to be satisfied with senior executives showing the highest levels of happiness and those in sales or customer services showing the lowest.
Age was also a big influencer with those aged 35 to 54 least happy on the job, most stressed out, and lease interested in their work. In contrast, workers over the age of 55 were identified as happiest.
Other findings of the survey include:
Those in the education and training sector, as well as marketing and design, report the highest levels of on-the-job happiness and interest in their work while finance professionals were among those reporting the lowest levels on these two factors.
Legal professionals report the highest stress levels at work, while technology employees cite the lowest stress levels.
For those ages 34 and under, a sense of accomplishment is the strongest determinant of happiness.
Different professions have slightly different key drivers of happiness at work. For example, feeling appreciated is a primary factor for accountants, while doing worthwhile work is more important for marketing professionals.
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