66% Of Employees Say Work Life Balance Is What Makes Them Happy

What Makes Staff Unhappy?

Although the majority of staff are happy, it would be a mistake to forget about the 35% of respondents who said they weren’t (15%) or those that neither agreed or disagreed (19%) with the statement ‘are you happy in your job?’.

According to Perkbox disengaged and unhappy staff are costing the UK economy £340 billion every year. This is through things such as lost training, recruitment costs, sick days and presenteeism. In order to improve this it’s important to understand what makes employees unhappy.

Top Causes Of Employee Unhappiness: Pay, Lack of Recognition & Poor Work-Life Balance

We asked what were the top causes for making employees unhappy. Being underpaid (46%) was the most popular response, this has moved up from second place in our 2021 survey where only 40.7% listed it as their main cause for unhappiness. This was followed by lack of:

• Recognition (36%)
• Work-life balance (32%)
• Support (32%)
• Progression (32%).

Happiness Is Key To Keeping Top Talent

Of those who were unhappy, 73% said that they were looking for a new job in the next 12 months. This highlights how important it is to keep employees happy at work.

Getting regular feedback from your employees can help you tailor your rewards and benefits package to align with what really makes a difference to them. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune either. The top three causes for employees happiness are all free to implement.

After pay, work-from-home options and work environment were listed as the two main benefits which would attract employees to a job role. By not listening to what staff need, businesses could find them losing top talent. It’s not just about offering good salaries anymore. Employees want to feel valued and happy in their place of work.

For extra support with your employee benefits, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by calling 02074425880 or via email at help@drewberry.co.uk.

Our experts can help you create a benefits package that improves work life balance.

Joseph Toft
Senior Consultant, Employee Benefits