Stress increasing for job-happy Irish

AN exceptionally high percentage of Irish workers are job-happy but employers are not capitalising on the goodwill.

Teachers and workers in the education sector have highest job satisfaction while people employed in pubs and hotels are the most unhappiest.

A substantial proportion of employees believe they work harder than they used to and have more responsibility which leads to one-in-four experiencing stress.

Workers finding themselves under pressure are mainly in the 25 to 39 age group, the period of family formation and key career development.

Education was the sector offering job satisfaction and it also topped the list for highest organisational commitment by employees.

According to the ground-breaking survey, which involved more than 5,000 people, Irish employees are hardworking and happy in their work.

It was conducted by the ESRI on behalf of the National Centre for Partnership and Performance.

The major new survey revealed nearly 70% of Irish employees would want to work even if there was no financial necessity. However, employers largely under-utilise such enthusiasm and employees feel increasingly stressed and under pressure.

The preliminary findings are contained in the first draft report of a Survey of Employee Experiences and Attitudes to Change in the Workplace carried out on behalf of the Forum on the Workplace of the Future. The final report will be available in November.

The study was the largest and most revealing insight into Irish employees.

More workers admitted to getting on well with management. It demonstrated a high level of willingness on behalf of Irish employees to upskill, to work harder and to take on more responsibility.

According to the study, most employees were ready and willing to take on the biggest challenge facing business in the 21st century through meeting and managing change in an adaptive, innovative and creative manner.

However, it also emerged from the study that hard work, responsibility and change brought extra stress and pressure. The survey strongly suggested Ireland will need to look carefully at new working environments in order to safeguard the quality of life of its employees.