Workplaces overrun with unhappy staff

A recent study suggests workplaces are being overrun by unhappy employees who aren’t in a position to leave but may be bringing overall productivity down as a result.

The survey, conducted by CV-Library, found that 92.7 per cent of UK professionals think it is important to love what you do – yet 55.6 per cent aren’t happy in their current roles.

Among the 1,200 workers surveyed, the top three reasons for unhappiness were poor pay (38.9 per cent), a lack of progression opportunities (32.6 per cent) and a negative company culture (30.8 per cent).

Despite the discontent, 57 per cent said quitting is not necessarily the solution.

“It’s worrying to learn that so many professionals are unhappy in their current roles,” said Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library. “Job satisfaction plays an important part of keeping staff motivated and productive.”

Other reasons cited are poor work-life balance (21.8 per cent), a boring daily routine (18.7 per cent), dislike of the working hours (15.3 per cent), dislike of the boss (14.9 per cent), long commutes (13.6 per cent), dislike of colleagues (5 per cent) and issues in private life that affect work life (4.8 per cent).

“It’s vital that employers are able to spot the signs of dissatisfaction or low morale and combat these issues right away,” said Biggins. “Tackling these early on can help to get staff back on track and start enjoying their work again.”

Aside from not quitting, 53.1 per cent of survey respondents also believe they should take positive steps to make things better before resigning from the job.

They suggest speaking to the manager (63.9 per cent), reflecting on what’s making them unhappy (51.8 per cent), putting themselves forward for new projects (26.7 per cent) and speaking to a trusted colleague (25.5 per cent).

“It’s great to see that professionals aren’t giving up without a fight, with many recognising that quitting is not always the answer,” said Biggins.

“Being able to speak openly about your job is important and as such, employers need to keep the lines of communication open if they hope to address any issues in a timely and effective manner.”