Latest happiness survey: financial rewards are not the answer to job satisfaction

Surveys of this nature often throw up similar findings. They often suggest that having an interest in what you do for a living is the number one factor for ensuring on-the-job contentment. Happiness levels remain fairly constant regardless of salary. According to the City and Guilds survey, a keen interest in the job not only secures workplace happiness but is the main reason for workers in the UK choosing to stay with their employer:

57 per cent of staff have remained with their present employer as a result of a strong interest in what they do for a living
56 per cent stay because of good relationships with colleagues
48 per cent of the UK’s workforce appreciates their work / life balance
In contrast, only 44 per cent of staff remain in the job as a direct result of salary

These factors have led beauty therapists to push hairdressers off the top spot in the 2008 Happiness Index, with one in three registering a happiness level of 10 out of 10. At the other end of the scale builders and bankers were the least happy with their working lives.

Bob Coates, Managing Director of City & Guilds said:

“With a clear impact on the bottom line, improving workplace happiness is rising up the business agenda and employers cannot afford to ignore it. Companies can no longer rely on those established reward and recognition policies that fail to resonate with employees and do little to combat stress levels in the workplace. By taking such a blinkered approach, they risk the rise of an unmotivated and unproductive workforce, and even potentially losing their staff to competitors.”

Much of this is certain to be true. But on the other hand, previous blogs have discussed those employers who go too far the other way. Their ‘wacky workplaces’ where the phrase ‘work/life balance’ is most frequently used have their problems too. Office gyms, parties, masseurs and the rest don’t make up for the lack of a competitive salary in recruiting and retaining staff.

Check out the happiest professions and City and Guilds’ advice to employers at: City and Guilds 2008 Happiness Index survey findings