50% of workers unhappy in job: study

If workers loathe their higher-ups, the feeling may be mutual. Gallup also found that managers weren't thrilled with their work situation, either. Photo / Thinkstock

If you're miserable in the workplace, take solace in the fact that you've got a lot of company.

Half of all US employees have at some point in their career quit their jobs to get away from their boss, according to a new Gallup study of 7272 adults.

If workers loathe their higher-ups, the feeling may be mutual. Gallup also found that managers weren't thrilled with their work situation, either.

Just 35 per cent of US managers said they felt engaged on the job. Fifty-one per cent said they weren't engaged, and 14 per cent confessed that they actively tune out at work.

The numbers suggest that there are relatively few Americans who don't feel like they're corporate cogs.

"I'm continually surprised at these numbers - they're a lot lower than they need to be," says Jim Harter, Gallup's chief scientist of workplace management and well-being.

"When managers aren't engaged, it affects their employees, which in turn affects productivity, whether people stay or leave, how often they're absent, and then ultimately productivity," Harter says.

Plus, given how much time Americans spend at work, hating your job can take a hit on your overall well-being, Harter added. Stress at work can heighten the risk of developing depression, anxiety and obesity, a 2007 study found. And when the cause is a co-worker, your likelihood of quitting soars.

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