This new survey of over 1,000 working adults in the UK shows just how many of us are fundamentally disengaged from our work, with civil servants topping the misery-in-the-workplace charts. Secretaries and those in retail came a close second.A different survey, carried out this month by Chrysalis Courses, showed that two thirds of the 4,000 sample wanted to change jobs. Three out of ten felt 'completely unchallenged' in their role and four in ten said they'd walk out today if they had an alternative to go to.
There are two sides to this depressing data. First, it points to a failing among employers to create the best structures and environments for their people to deliver high performance. Staff who feel unappreciated and bored are not performing well. Engaging an external agency to review the HR function may well be the best investment a company can make. Never before has the harnessing of intelligent, motivated and talented people meant more to the success of a business. The very best management techniques, flatter structures and consistent analysis of individual and team performance can revolutionise the productivity of people and with it the overall culture of a business.
Second, it points to a lethargy among the disaffected. We spend the greatest proportion of our waking lives in the workplace and we owe it to ourselves to make this time meaningful. If you are fundamentally unhappy with your job and cannot change it to make it more interesting, then it's time to seek some independent career advice from a professional. Analysis of skills, personality traits, behaviours and needs can all help in focusing you on a role that you are likely to excel in.
Talk to us at Black Book. We're a new kind of talent management agency. Our years of experience in placing, supporting and helping develop the very best people could help you.
