Worker inertia found across UK business

A fifth (21%) of UK office workers are unhappy in their current job, and more than half (51%) of the UKís office workforce are keeping their eyes peeled for other job opportunities, according to the latest Happiness at Work Index from Badenoch & Clark.

Of the 51% of office workers looking for new opportunities, almost 20% - 5.5 million - are actively seeking a new job whilst continuing to be employed in their current role.

Neil Wilson, Managing Director of Badenoch & Clark says, ìThere is a huge portion of UK workers who are currently seeking alternative employment and this desire to leave an organisation has a huge impact on their current employer. Workers looking for new employment are often likely to be job-searching whilst at work, meaning they are less productive and disengaged in their day-to-day job.î

In the money?
The research also shows that while over half (55%) of UK office workers believe they are being paid in line with the average salary for their job. Almost a third (29%) believe they are being paid less for their job than other people in their sector in a similar role.

More men than women believe they are being paid more than the average salary, reinforcing the widely regarded perception that a gender pay gap still exists within UK offices. Almost two in 10 men (18%) think they are being paid more than others in a similar role in their sector, compared to 15% of women.

The perception of salary also varies across sectors with almost a third of lawyers believing they are being paid more than the average salary, compared to just 11% of healthcare professionals.

Surprisingly, it is HR professionals who believe they are the most underpaid, with 42% believing they are being paid less than the average salary for their role.

ìSalary is vital for many workers, and the thought that you are being underpaid for a job can be very de-motivating. However, it is not the main reason people leave jobs. These findings show that people need to look around and do some research to ensure that they are being paid a fair salary for the job they are doing. If they feel underpaid, they should speak to their boss. If they decided they wanted to leave, a recruitment consultancy can advise them on the right job for them.î

Other key findings
Itís all about feedback ñ Just over one in ten (13%) UK office workers never receive feedback on their performance from their boss, despite almost half describing their bosses as supportive. Of those who do receive feedback, 87% felt that it was constructive and balanced.

Age discrimination ñ As age discrimination approaches its one-year anniversary, 16% of UK-office workers think that age discrimination still exists in their industry and almost a third (32%) think it potentially exists.

Colour of money ñ When looking at moving jobs, 77% of workers find a higher salary the biggest attraction, followed by better benefits (46%), better prospects (42%) and flexible working (41%).

Fear of interviews ñ Going for an interview is the most dreaded part of changing jobs, with over a third (39%) putting it at the top of their fear list. Other top fears included planning interviews around current jobs (17%) and the bore of updating CVs (37%).