Who are the UK’s happiest and unhappiest workers?
A new survey released today by the jobs search engine Adzuna has revealed which workers are the most and least satisfied with their pay packets.
After years of stagnation and rising prices, some workers have been feeling the pinch more than others. Those most likely to be dissatisfied are workers in the retail sector followed closely by those in legal work.
Almost 60 per cent of workers in the Hospitality & Catering industry were unhappy with their levels of pay. The public sector has been under years of pay restraint to assist with deficit reduction so it will come as little surprise that nurses and teachers were also counted as some of the unhappiest workers in the country.
Adzuna's research showed a sharp regional difference in terms of pay satisfaction. The south-east and the south-west had the happiest workers while Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland had the least happy.
Overall, 52 per cent of British workers are dissatisfied with their pay. Adzuna co-founder Andrew Hunter said:
Wages have been stagnant and consistently lagging behind inflation. That said, our data suggests that employers across the country are starting to lift the lid on rates of pay.
While the last few years have been a tough time for workers the squeeze on living standards may finally be coming to an end.
The UK's unemployment rate fell again between September and November, falling from six per cent in the previous three months to 5.8 per cent. Wages were also up by 1.8 per cent and 1.7 per cent including bonuses, when compared to a year earlier. Many consumers are also benefiting from falling food and oil prices.
The country's happiest workers were employed in consultancy roles, where only 20 per cent were dissatisfied with their pay. Manufacturing roles and careers in IT also proved to be highly satisfactory for their workers.