Your job – love it or hate it? The latest word on job satisfaction in the workplace

Almost 60% of the workforce either hate their jobs or have a ho hum attitude to their work. The rest really love their work or gain satisfaction from it. What does this mean for today’s leaders and managers – especially when they exhibit similar views of their own job satisfaction?

One in six leaders (17%), managers (16%) and employees (16%) hate their jobs but have to earn a living according to the latest L.E.A.D. (Leadership, Employment and Direction) Survey.

Nearly half the leaders and senior managers in organisations have a very neutral view of their jobs – 48% look for fulfilment in other parts of their lives or find their job OK but would prefer to be doing something else. A sizeable proportion of managers (39%) and employees (38%) also feel this way.

The results reveal that at the opposite end of the scale, over a third of managers (37%) and employees (37%) love their jobs and gain a great deal of satisfaction from the work they do. Even so, fewer leaders are positive about their jobs with only 28% of leaders feeling this way.

LMA’s CEO, Grant Sexton, said having so many people either hating or being ambivalent about their work was a contributing factor to Australasia’s languishing productivity.

“A predominant section of the workforce is performing at a level of personal productivity significantly below their capability,” he said.

Leaders’ dissatisfaction with their jobs appears to stem from a lack of work-life balance, difficulties associated with finding and retaining good staff and higher staff turnover. The pressures of people management weigh down on many and leave them feeling disillusioned.

Managers report many of the same concerns, particularly in relation to their own work-life balance and the dual pressures of finding and retaining the right people for their organisations.

“There are just too many with a ’ho hum’ attitude – too many people just going through the motions and dragging the chain… no wonder we still have 20 per cent of the workforce actively looking for a different role” he said.

Organisations firstly have to motivate and engage their leaders and managers. In turn, a leader or manager who is satisfied with their role in the organisation and their job will influence the engagement, morale, productivity and commitment of the greater workforce.

To help motivate and engage your leaders, managers and employees to measurably improve the performance and productivity of your organisation contact us today to speak with an LMA representative in your area.