Half of Australian workers unhappy in their jobs, survey finds

The survey found 54 per cent of millennials (late teens to early 30s) experience technology-related stress. Photo / AP

About half of Australia's workers will probably be looking for a new job in the next year because they're disengaged.

A survey of 1000 full and part-time employees, as well as the self-employed, examined job satisfaction, technology, productivity and general health. The Snapshot of Australian Workplaces, commissioned by global think-tank Reventure Ltd, found that disengagement was driving 49 per cent of those surveyed to eye off a new job.

The top reasons: employees were unhappy with leadership, didn't feel like their job was meaningful or it didn't utilise their strengths.

Conversely, job security, flexible arrangements, a sense of purpose and competitive pay and benefits made people more likely to stay.

Women tended to be more concerned with these than men.

WHO WAS SURVEYED:

• 57 per cent full-timers
• 33 per cent part-timers
• 10 per cent self-employed

WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT THEIR JOBS:

• 72 per cent look for purpose and meaning through work
• 71 per cent believe their boss has vision and direction
• 49 per cent will likely look for new job within the year
• 44 per are extremely or very satisfied at work
• 35 per cent say poor leadership is most stressful workplace issue

HOW PRODUCTIVE ARE THEY?

• 50 per cent have experienced at least one serious incident or conflict in the past six months
• 43 per cent usually work at peak productivity

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY

• 54 per cent of millennials (late teens to early 30s) experience technology-related stress
• At least 40 per cent rely on technology for more than three-quarters of their job
• 65 per cent say new technologies shape how their work is defined and completed
• 29 per cent experience high stress often or sometimes