Employees across the United Kingdom are disengaged, with less than half currently happy in their job and well over a third frequently thinking about quitting, according to the latest survey results from global workforce solutions leader, Kelly Services®.
Three quarters of UK employees intend to search for a job with another company within the next year. The ‘Baby Boomer’ generation is the most restless with 81% stating they will be searching for another job in the next 12 months.
Only half of UK employees are committed to their current job, with over a third unlikely to voice their potential plans to leave.
These are the first findings from the latest Kelly Global Workforce Index (KGWI), an annual survey conducted by Kelly Services. Almost 170,000 people in 30 countries participated in the survey, including more than 3,500 in the UK.
“Employees have experienced unprecedented economic turmoil and as a result are seriously questioning their career goals. We have seen a general negativity in people’s outlook towards their current jobs and a startling restlessness across all ages and experience levels,” said Andrew Cook, General Manager UK and Ireland at Kelly Services.
Results of the survey in the UK show:
- Only 35% of workers feel valued by their employer or gain any real sense of purpose or meaning from their work. The ability to ‘excel or develop’ is identified by 77% of people as the key to providing a sense of meaning.
- When considering one position over another, survey respondents cite personal fulfillment and personal growth/advancement as the two main areas of consideration, far beyond salary and benefits. However, financial bonus and promotion are still the two preferred ways for people to be rewarded for a job well done, although remarkably 19% of employees say they require no recognition at all.
A key development over the last two years is that over a third of people now use their social media network when making career or employment decisions.
“Unless employees feel engaged in meaningful work and offered ongoing opportunities for growth, many believe it is in their best interest to keep their careers in a perpetual state of motion,” Andrew Cook added.
Thanks for highlighting this research and I shared this article on Twitter. This statistic shouldn’t be a surprise and it is strongly supported by other research. Gallup conduct a quarterly benchmark in the US and at the end of last year this showed just 29% of employees were actively engaged, with 19% actively disengaged and the other 52% just turning up for work (i.e. disengaged).
Leaders have to understand that they cannot just think of their own agenda or the needs of the organisation, they have to consider the agenda of others too. Personalise their style and amending behaviours is an important trait to develop.
At its heart this is not that difficult – whether they think their work is meaningful is often down to how they are treated (rather than or as well as the work content). As a leader show genuine interest in others, engage with them about decisions that affect them, ask and encourage them to bring forward solutions rather than always telling them what to do.
Sure in the short term this takes more time and when overnight results don’t follow, leaders who try to adapt often slip straight back to the way they have always done things. Be prepared to invest some time and effort and in a fairly short period you will be amazed as employees begin to re-engage and take responsibility for their own performance and results.
If you are a leader of people go on give it a go.