Yahoo Finance Unhappy Brits pledge to start new year with new job
More than half of Brits are considering finding a new job in 2020 – up 8% from last year, research shows.
In a survey of 1,200 Brits by Investors in People, two in three (65%) of workers admitted they go to bed on a Sunday night dreading returning to their place of work.
Never is this feeling felt more keenly than the first day back at the start of a new year.
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The number of people feeling unhappy in their jobs is on the rise, increasing by 10% year on year.
About 24% were unhappy in their job at the turn of the year, with the same number actively seeking a new job. Meanwhile, another 32% are considering looking for a new position.
Employees say their top three reasons for seeking new employment are earning more money (30%), not feeling valued (23%) and wanting a better work/life balance (22%).
READ MORE: 8 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Accepting a New Job
When it comes to keeping employees on side in their present roles, a simple thank you (14%) has been consistently appreciated over the last four years.
However, employers must also be aware of stress levels in their work place, the research indicates.
Stress is a key issue for employees, and despite a growing awareness and appreciation of mental health and its associated issues, 77% of employees exhibit the signs of stress while 64% said their sleep was affected. The same number complained about being always on duty, with work following them home.
A friendly workplace and a supportive culture are key to retaining staff. More than half (54%) say having friends at work is important to them, while a quarter admit to staying in a job because of their friendships rather than enjoyment.
Nearly half (47%) would even rather have a friendly workplace than a 3% pay rise.
The report also found a quarter (24%) of those who resign do so to negotiate a better work/life balance.
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Meanwhile, 19% have gone through the motions of resigning to force through a pay rise.
Unfortunately, a fifth of those who stayed found that their employers did not fulfil their end of their bargain.
Paul Devoy, CEO Investors in People, said: “At Investors in People, we ask questions about work all day. To ourselves, to our colleagues and to our clients. Because the expert on work is everyone who works.
READ MORE: How to Avoid Saying Yes to the Wrong Job
“Six years into our job exodus research, we’re still hearing that people want to be told ‘thank you’ and one in four people are looking for a new job because they don’t feel valued.
“‘Thank you’, something so simple, so consistently important and potentially the best retention tool we’ve got.”
