Employers urged to focus on training to increase job satisfaction

According to this year's City & Guilds Happiness Index, nearly a third of people (32%) claimed that they were not particularly happy at work giving a satisfaction rating of less than 7 out of 10.

City & Guilds compiles the Happiness Index annually with the aim of tracking the satisfaction and fulfilment of the country's workforce. The research was undertaken in March 2007 and is based on a sample of 1,000 employees and 200 employers.

According to City & Guilds, the report shows a need to focus on training at work with, personal development identified as a key contributor to happiness: 8% of those surveyed cited that training and development would make their role more satisfying.

The survey also found that bosses scored their workers' happiness lower than workers rated it themselves. And when asked what they felt was key to a happier workforce, a quarter of employers (26%) said financial incentive, while only 17% of their employees thought the same.

Chris Humphries, director general of City & Guilds, commented on the results: "When asked to rate their workplace in terms of happiness, almost a third of people earning in the £10 - £15k bracket gave their job a 10 out of 10. Compare that to workers in the £40 - £45k income bracket, where less than 5% gave their workplace a 10. This indicates, and it may come as a surprise to some, that financial reward doesn't always mean a happier working environment or employee."

According to the survey, the happiest UK workers are hairdressers - 57% admit they look forward to returning to work after a day off. Hairdressers are closely followed by beauty therapists, early years and childcare workers, medical doctor/dentist, and plumbers. The survey found that nearly 50% of hairdressers rated training in their workplace as 10 out of 10.

The City & Guilds Happiness Index shows a clear link between workplace happiness and training claims Humphries: "A quarter of all UK workers have, or would, leave a position because of a lack of training and these results clearly demonstrate that some of the happiest workers are those who feel they have a lot of opportunities for professional development.

"It's about time employers woke up to that fact as we all know a happy workforce is a productive workforce. Moreover, investing in training makes workers feel appreciated and, consequently, more loyal.

"A lot of companies, including City & Guilds, are placing increasing importance on the happiness and fulfilment of their staff. And rightly so. Most workers spend an average of 37 hours at work every week - which is almost two thousand hours per year, and that's a lot of time to be spending in a job where you're not happy."

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