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Survey: UK Working Lives

A ‘quality job’ is a term that has been used for some time. However, what is meant by 'quality' and how it can be appropriately measured is still a challenge. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s survey of 6,000 workers considered seven areas of focus that can help to raise job quality and improve working lives.

UK Working Lives 1

Key findings:

  • Almost half of the workers surveyed think that their pay is ‘appropriate’ for what they do and 36 per cent do not.
  • Nearly half of all jobs fail to provide decent career development.
  • 30 per cent of workers have workloads that are to some extent unmanageable.
  • 80 per cent of employees rate their relationship with their managers positively.
  • 30 per cent say they are often or always ‘full of energy’ at work, in contrast with 55 per cent who feel under excessive pressure, exhausted or regularly miserable.
  • Nearly two-thirds would like to reduce their hours.
  • Employee voice is most positive in the private sector and least positive in the voluntary sector.

The survey report argues that the health and value of the modern economy is gauged purely on quantitative measures. However, a concerted focus on advancing the qualitative aspects of jobs and working lives will prove to be the next step forward.