If you find yourself arriving home after a long day at work only to spend a solid 10 minutes ranting about your boss, you’re not alone. A new study has revealed that on average, British employees rate their relationship with their employer at only 6.6/10.
For healthcare workers, the figure is even lower – a mere 3.8/10 – but if you’re in the IT sector, your boss might be doing something right as IT employees rated their relationship with their employer at 7.3/10. In comparison and perhaps unsurprisingly, employers nationwide voted their relationships at slightly a higher average than their employees, 6.8 out of 10.
The research found striking regional variations: when compared across the UK, the study found that employees in the South West scored their relationships highest in the country with an overall rating of 7 out of 10. Opposingly, those in the North West voted these connections at just 6 out of 10, the lowest ranking in the UK*.
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Employers could be doing more to get workers on their side – only one in 10 employees socialise with their colleagues outside of work. On top of this, only 1/3 believe their employer does enough to keep spirits high in the workplace, but bosses seemed to be complacent with 48 per cent of them thinking they are doing enough to boost morale.
The survey asked workers who had been with their company for a number of years about why they stayed. Happy workers are more likely to remain at their companies for many years: 32 per cent percent said it was down to having a decent wage and 21 per cent attributed their long term commitment to having trustworthy relationships with colleagues. 14 per cent said there were career progression opportunities; 11 per cent said it was because their office was in a convenient location; 11 per cent said it was down to the good and flexible hours, and the last 11 per cent said employee benefits and incentives were the key to their long-term employment.
The survey also asked employees if background checks would make them feel more trusting of their team – 65 per cent answered ‘yes’. It also found that 75 per cent of workers think background checks should be compulsory before anyone is hired to a position.
Luke Battah, CEO at PASS Technology, said,
A good employee-employer relationship is critical for the culture and success of a business or brand. These survey results show there is an unfortunate discrepancy between how employers and employees rate their relationship.
Fortunately, there are a number of things that businesses can do to address this. Company perks, team activities and a better work life balance are approaches that are worth considering but employers often overlook how important background checking can be.
*Conducted by PASS, Results based on a survey of 3,000 British workers.
Aphrodite is a creative writer and editor specialising in publishing and communications. She is passionate about undertaking projects in diverse sectors. She has written and edited copy for media as varied as social enterprise, art, fashion and education. She is at her most happy owning a project from its very conception, focusing on the client and project research in the first instance, and working closely with CEOs and Directors throughout the consultation process. Much of her work has focused on rebranding; messaging and tone of voice is one of her expertise, as is a distinctively unique writing style in my most of her creative projects. Her work is always driven by the versatility of language to galvanise image and to change perception, as it is by inspiring and being inspired by the wondrous diversity of people with whom paths she crosses cross!
Aphrodite has had a variety of high profile industry clients as a freelancer, and previously worked for a number of years as an Editor and Journalist for Prospects.ac.uk.
Aphrodite is also a professional painter.
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