EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
Majority of UK employees unhappy at work, says Mercer
More than half of Britain’s employees are unhappy at work, with over a third of them seriously considering leaving their jobs, according to new research by Mercer that reveals an increasing level of employee disengagement.
The feedback from employees also shows a marked decline in commitment and job satisfaction since 2006 when a similar survey was conducted:
Only 61% currently say their work gives them a feeling of personal accomplishment compared with 70% four years ago.
Commitment to their company has declined from 59% to 52%.
Just 55% feel proud to work for their organisation compared with 60% in 2006.
Disengagement amongst the 59% of the UK workforce is demonstrated in the low response scores on underlying factors including:
38% feel there are sufficient opportunities for growth
41% feel they are paid fairly
42% believe they are recognised for doing a good job
50% feel they are treated fairly at work
54% say they have a good work-life balance.
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Re-engaging employees
Mercer believes that re-engaging employees will require a “multi-faceted” approach. Employers need to understand the dynamics of disengagement in their own organisations and address the different expectations, work styles and financial considerations across the various employee groups. A one-size-fits-all approach is unlikely to achieve the necessary impact for improving morale, commitment and performance.
Re-engaging employees will require fresh thinking, says Mercer. After a sustained prosperous period up to the recession, employees’ perceptions have been affected by continued economic unease.
Mercer recommends that employers take an objective view of their employee offering and review their package of rewards, career development and learning opportunities. But they should also recognise it is important to look at the qualitative aspects of work: fairness, respect and recognition, work-life balance and effective communication.
A final word
“During the recession, many employees have faced a mix of pay freezes, training and benefit cuts, and limited promotion opportunities – and have often absorbed extra workloads due to redundancy programmes. Many are still feeling vulnerable and generally unhappy with their lot. Employers should be concerned at the potential loss of many key employees with the skills and experience that they have invested in, and who are needed to drive their company recovery plans.
“Those who are engaged and who feel better about their employer and themselves are the people who can drive their employer's success as the economy recovers. The problem is that these are the employees who are wanting to move. Overall, what we’re seeing is a general malaise in the workplace. This apathy and disengagement at work can undermine business performance – especially in a post-recession period when companies need commitment from their workforce and energy to drive business growth.” - Chris Johnson, UK Head of Human Capital, Mercer.
Want to know more?
Title: What’s Working, Mercer, July 2011.
Survey sample: The data is based on research amongst 2,400 UK workers in over 1,000 private sector organisations – part of a global survey of nearly 30,000 employees in 17 countries.
Availability: For more details email: client.services.europe@mercer.com or tel: +48 (0)22 434 5383.
Mercer is a “global leader in human resource consulting, outsourcing and investment services”. Mercer works with clients to “solve their most complex benefit and human capital issues by designing, implementing and administering health, retirement and other benefit programmes”. For more details visit http://uk.mercer.com.