New Zealanders are an unhappy bunch when it comes to job satisfaction according to new research, but which group is likely to change jobs in search of greener pastures?
New Zealanders are struggling with job satisfaction with new research by SEEK New Zealand revealing 40% are unhappy in their current job.
Janet Faulding, General Manager SEEK New Zealand, said that equates to 920,000 people in the workforce in jobs they don't enjoy.
“Kiwis are all too aware of the impact that career satisfaction has on overall happiness with 82% saying it plays a pivotal role in how happy they are generally,” she said.
And according to the results 71% of New Zealanders are would be open to trying different things to improve their work-life happiness. But who is most motivated to make the move? Gen Y comes out tops with research suggesting they place a higher emphasis than most on job satisfaction and therefore are more likely to seek out opportunities for growth and development.
The results showed that more than half of 18-29 year olds (55%) are open to up-skilling, the highest of any demographic group in the research, while 53% would be willing to make improvements within their current role and 21% would change roles entirely if it would result in a happier work-life.
Outside of Gen Y, males are the second most likely group to take their career happiness into their own hands and for this group, money talks. One third of men said they would be likely to put their negotiation skills into practice and instigate salary discussions with their manager sometime in the next six months.
Additionally the research showed loyalty was high among full-time workers as they will try to improve their job satisfaction in their current role before seeking another job. Part-timers however have less attachment and are more likely to look for a new role or career in the pursuit of happiness.
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“Full-time staff members are typically more ingrained in the business they work in, and in turn more invested in the success of the company. This leads to an increased sense of satisfaction for a job done well. For those employing large numbers of part-time staff, it is vital to build a culture of inclusion and make sure employees feel their contribution is valued in order to inspire loyalty and retain good staff,” Faulding said.