“I love my job,” is not an often heard phrase, but the common perceptions of workplace misery and dissatisfied employees are facing a fresh challenge from the results of an international survey on workers’ attitudes.
Polling 90,000 workers in 18 countries, the survey was conducted by Towers Perrin and focused on what drives employees to perform and succeed. The results proved surprisingly positive, with 86% of employees worldwide stating they like or love their job, 77% like or love their company, and 73% like or love their boss.
Canadian workers are even happier. Of the 5,000 Canadians polled, 86% admitted to liking or loving their job, 79% their company, and 81% their boss. The majority (69%) indicated that on-the-job stress was a neutral or positive force with regards to productivity, and 86% said that communication technology (cell phones, laptops, and PDAs) help them to achieve a semblance of work/life balance.
Max Caldwell, managing principal, Towers Perrin’s global workforce effectiveness practice suggests that current views on worker’s attitudes are outdated. “This not only contradicts the common belief that technology keeps employees chained to their jobs and dominates their time away from the office, but also signals that employees are realistic about the demands of today’s global business environment, and they’re willing to do what’s necessary to achieve work/life balance in a world that operates literally around the clock,” he says.
While work/life balance was rated fifth globally, Canadian workers identified it as the most critical factor in whether they would stay with an employer. It appears that Canadian employers are listening, as 44% of workers stated that their employer had policies and programs to help them balance work and personal life responsibilities, while only 27% said they didn’t.
Canadian workers are also more upbeat about their managers than the global average. 58% said their manager was fair and consistent in enabling them to balance their work and personal lives, versus 51% globally.
On the down side, the survey revealed only 23% of Canadians feel fully engaged with their jobs, suggesting employers could do more to channel employees’ confidence and energy.
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