January 14, 2016
If you've spent time at your desk idly Googling "I hate my job" instead of working, you're not alone. A new poll from the MBA program at Strayer University has found that 43 percent of professionals in the U.S. thought about quitting their jobs in the last year "due to stifling frustrations at work."
Limited opportunities, low pay and lack of appreciation are the main reason that workers feel frustrated at their job, according to poll results from the Jack Welch Management Institute. The online poll, conducted last January, engaged with almost 1,800 adults in the U.S., of whom around 1,200 work for a professional or corporate organization.
"Many of these findings could indicate a cultural problems in today’s workforce — both a lack of strong leadership across management levels and an undervaluation of “soft skills” that create better leaders who know how to energize their teams," said Craig Clawson, Dean of the Institute.
Workers were more likely to report that they considered quitting if they were younger than 34, not married, make less than $50,000 annually or believe that their job is at a "standstill." Age, in particular, made a big difference: 51 percent of 18-to-34-year-olds had considered quitting, a full 10 points higher than the percent of 35-to-54-year-olds who wanted to resign.
When asked what the top frustrations at work were, 33 percent of respondents said there weren't enough opportunities to move up in the company. The same proportion said their pay was too low in comparison to the amount of work they were doing. Thirty percent felt underappreciated, and 28 percent complained about red tape.
Other common issues include being overworked, not having a voice in the company, job insecurity or feeling that the work is just not challenging or stimulating enough. It does seem, however, that most people get along well with their office mates, as only one in 10 respondents listed poor relationships with coworkers or the boss as an issue.
