Survey: Co-workers are most important factor in being happy at work

Make text smaller Make text larger

A new survey reveals that a pay raise certainly helps to keep employees content at work, but the number one factor for remaining happy at work is whether employees have a good relationship with their colleagues.

New research of 1,000 UK workers by Jobsite.co.uk, one of the UK’s leading online recruiters, reveals that 70 percent of employees see their ‘9-to-5 buddies’ as the most important factor in enjoying their job.

In comparison, only 55 percent thought money was the most important thing.

The average UK worker spends approximately 40 hours a week at work (Monday to Friday), which is approximately the same amount of time as we spend with our families at home.

According to the survey, men were less concerned with their 9-to-5 buddies, and more inclined to take money over good colleagues, with 42 percent of males saying they would choose a higher paid job working with people they didn’t get along with.

In comparison, only 26 percent of women said they’d prefer a higher salary to good colleagues; placing a higher value on the ‘people’ element of their jobs.

Age and experience were key in swaying responses.

The survey reported that 74 percent of employees aged 45-54 said they would prefer to work with people they respected on their current salary, rather than take a pay rise and work with people they didn’t like.

In contrast, just over a third of people aged 25-34 would choose a pay rise over working with people they get on with or liked; a decision perhaps linked with the need for faster progression and movement in the early stage of careers in order to get on the property ladder and start a family.

Jobsite UK also found that the importance of building great working environments is just as important to business productivity as it is to employees.

The relationships between colleagues can be directly related to productivity of the workforce, with 65 percent of people believing that being happy at work made them more productive in their job.

“For 40 hours a week, we leave the world we call home and enter the ‘9-to-5’.

Whether you’re at a desk job, working outside or looking for your next challenge, at Jobsite we understand that for most of us, it’s the people we interact with that make the difference and who help to make the ‘9-to-5’ more enjoyable,” said Mike Wall, MD of Jobsite.co.uk.

“It could be who you sit next to, the person you meet on the train every morning, or the recruitment consultant who goes that extra mile to help you prepare for the big interview.”

Make text smaller Make text larger

Take Our Poll