Upskilled survey finds Aussies enjoy their jobs
Latest poll reveals that Australia is a nation of job lovers
Despite recent reports of unhappy workplaces and job misery, a new report¹ has found that 77 per cent of Australians actually enjoy their jobs, with those in regional areas more likely to love their jobs than their city counterparts. Dynamic environments, satisfactory work and colleague camaraderie all contribute to Aussies being happy at work.
Top 5 findings:
- 77 per cent of Australians enjoy their jobs
- Almost one in three workers believe they deserve a pay rise
- 10 per cent of the workforce followed their dreams by going into the job role they had wanted since childhood
- The top long term career goal for most is to be happy in their job
- 33 per cent of respondents say they have undertaken training to further their education and have reaped rewards from doing so
The annual Upskilled Employment Report, commissioned by leading Registered Training Organisation (RTO) Upskilled, found that almost one in three (30 per cent) believe they deserve a pay rise and only 11 per cent feel they are paid appropriately for the job that they do. This resonates with the 2011 report findings which found that 35 per cent of workers thought that low pay was the worst thing about their job.
The top long term career goal for Australians is to be happy with their job with more than one in four (26 per cent) saying that job satisfaction is a top priority for them. Training can be credited to assisting with happiness at work, as a third (33 per cent) of respondents say that they have undertaken training to further their education and have reaped rewards from doing so.
One in ten of those surveyed had followed their dreams by going into the job role they had wanted since childhood. This jumps to 18 per cent amongst ACT residents. Whilst over a third (38 per cent) of respondents said that they weren’t sure how they chose their job, 7 per cent of men claimed to have been influenced by their family to go into their current profession compared to only 3 per cent of women, indicating the family has more sway with males than it does with the fairer sex.
Upskilled CEO Jon Lang said that the survey shows that it’s not all doom and gloom in the workplace, as many would have us believe. “For most Australians, work makes up a big part of our lives so it’s great to hear that more of us are happy in our jobs. In the 2011 Upskilled Annual Employment Report, 25 per cent of Australians reported that they had never been offered the chance to undertake training at work and given its importance in job satisfaction, it’s time for employers to consider the positive affects it can have on their employees.”