HHMMMM...what should we talk about today? Are you at work while you are reading blogs this morning? Are you looking sufficiently busy? If so, you might be the subject of a new Gallup poll.While my ever-growing skepticism keeps me from always buying into anything the Gallup people tell me, I sort-of, kind-of believe they might of gotten some of it right this time. Frankly after they came out with a poll last year saying that three out of 10 Americans hated filing taxes, I lost my faith in them. I am pretty sure that 10 out of 10 Americans hate filing taxes.
Thought Number One: The Results Are In: Lots of People Hate Their Jobs
But they..the Gallup people, that is...may be redeeming themselves by doing a survey that tells us that 70 percent of people that work, hate their jobs. The fact that they clarified the survey was for "those that work" gives credence to the thoroughness of the poll, don't you think?
The Gallup's 2013 State of the Workplace report concluded that of the 150,000 people that participated in the study, around 30 percent of those surveyed did enjoy their jobs and bosses. That is where the good news ends.
- 20 percent of the respondents fell into what the Gallup organization calls "actively disengaged". Traits of this group include those who mutter complaints around the office and those that job hunt on line on company time.
- 50% of U.S. workers are "disengaged, according to the report. This is described as those that "show up for work" but are uninspired. (In my experience, most employers require showing up as a condition of employment...harsh, I know.)
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| She looks too happy to be at work..I am suspicious of how many glasses of wine she had at lunch. |
Other key points that were stated in the report were:
- Many people complained they had bosses from hell. Bad leadership seemed to be a motivation killer that could not be overcome by either money nor perks.
- The report states that the estimated monetary loss annually due to lost productivity, stolen goods, and absenteeism is around $450-550 BILLION dollars.
- While money was deemed important, it didn't out-weigh things like having a good boss or a work environment where workers had a voice. Having their opinions respected was a huge incentive for those that are happy in their workplace.
Thought Number Two: Other way to look at it.
Oddly, enough...while I was looking over the Gallup report about how Americans hate their jobs, I happened upon chart created by the U.S. Department of Labor illustrating how Americans spend their day.
Well...what have we here? The U.S. government deems that we are only working 3.32 hours a day. Perhaps that is why productivity is down??
So...my readers...Does Gallup have it right? Are most American workers disengaged, dissatisfied or are they under they expecting too much????
OR are people thinking that work should always be fun and not be so "work" like.
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28 comments:
Great post, LOL! And all your graphics rock!
On an unrelated topic, why can't I win the friggin' lottery so I can retire and live the life of luxurious leisure that I so richly deserve?
Why THANK YOU, Debra. Aren't you sweet.
I will root for you to win but please do like wise for me to win one as well. We can become lazy and entitled. I might be good at that.
People want to feel that their hard work is noticed and appreciated and few bosses understand the imortance of this.
I totally agree, Chatterbox. There isn't much that ruins a workplace like a bad, unappreciative boss. I have had some class A (as in ass) bosses that made the job miserable. Conversly, I had some jobs that I put up with all manner of problems (such a low pay and long hours) but liked the people I worked for and with.
I believe that Americans are feeling they have no real job security or future. Many companies no longer offer benefits and often give older workers the boot so as to hire lower pay-scale workers. Tsk tsk. No wonder we feel disengaged.
It's a mess really. Good one Cheryl! Find your bliss. Do what you love! ;)
I'm not sure what to do with your new sign on policies. Is this a site in and of itself which requires a password? I'm confused. LOL!
You are right that people no longer feel loyalty to their employers as their employers don't give their employees the sense of security. A viscous circle if there ever was one.
I don't know what is going on with either Blogger or Disqus. I have had to resign on a number of blogs today even my own. Hopefully all will clear up on it's own. I still have my settings set at anyone and everyone should be able to leave comments without a password or moderation.
Hi Cheryl,
While I don't have a "real job" I'm not sure if I'm qualified to answer the questions... heck I probably couldn't participate in the poll. I do find that if people are happy about coworkers, and working environments, they are more productive.
Just because it's work doesn't mean it can't be fun. Sure work is hard, but if you can joke around and laugh all day, the day goes faster and work doesn't seem so much like ... well.... work.
Clicks!
Wolf
When we started traveling I met a lady boat captain. She told me "Learn to make money doing something you love and you'll never work another day in your life." It's true, if you like what you do work isn't so easily disengaged from. Sure we all have our moments, but it's work. Everyone should suck it up and be happy they have a job.
I find that most dissatisfied people are the ones stuck inside all day. Cramped work conditions and paper pushing is terrible, I tried it once and didn't last long. Are people general dissatisfied or disengaged? Most likely. But they wouldn't call it work if it was party time... just sayin'
Clicks for you
--Trina
No one likes there job all the time not even actors because sometimes they have to work with prima donas and often said prima dona is the one looking at them in the mirror.......and everyone has the problem of people walking behind them with knifes, even a stay at home mum doesn't always love her job and has to deal with gossip munkers (maybe spelt wrong) but you know what I mean........well I hope you do............
As for the gallup poll well when I hear the word gallup then I think of horses running off with people holding on for dear life..............lol
Oh, don't get me going. My Dad was a tool and die maker. He wouldn't work union because the unions paid everyone the same no matter the quality of their work, so he worked for less than he could make at a union shop. If you had asked him, "Do you like your work?" he'd likely have thought for a moment then said, "I'm proud of the work I do." In his day, the notion of enjoying work had more to do with being proud of your product. Somewhere along the line (and I believe it was with the offspring of my generation), the idea of "Do what you love and the money will come" became popular, as did the notion that a boss wasn't supposed to tell you what to do, he was supposed to facilitate and counsel. College graduates who'd been told how smart they are for their entire lives (not because they were smart but to save their precious self-esteem) came into the workforce with an unfounded sense of entitlement. I'm lucky ... I was and am engaged in a profession that I found interesting, but that said, it certainly wasn't always fun or even fulfilling. As you say, that's why they call it work (and not a hobby)
Wow, my Inner Curmudgeon feels much better.
Hum, since taking university courses on polls and stats, I am always suspicious of any polling. How many have you participated in, and wondered at the skewed questions? As for this particular post, I am curious about the age breakdown. I suspect there is something in those numbers, especially decade breakdown. We all go through swings in work. As 'oldereyes' commented, 'old' people seem less concerned with 'like' then doing a good job. But, I also concur that too much service office work inside, as many jobs are today, tends to mean continual contact with everyone, and thus, the importance of those people making the actual job satisfying. Then it is not so much the 'work' but the social environment. Which means I am back to the question gallup asked, did it factor that in? There are too many books to list on being a good boss, but, only people who want to be a good boss would read them, attend the seminars and actually implement the ideas.
Love the two thoughts for Tuesday graphic...someone's got to do those vital jobs!
I think it's generational. We baby boomers were taught to expect to work and have some pride in it even if it wasn't our dream job. Generations after us weren't instilled with that same work ethic. Probably because our generation smoked so much weed while we were raising them. ;)
taxes - big difference between filing and paying.
"There is a reason it's called work." I have often heard or said that myself. Last night we watched a documentary about Henry Ford. I had heard a few stories of his bad treatment of employees. This PBS show offered explanations for the stubborn control-freak named Henry Ford.
My own experience tells me even great jobs (I feel as though I had a few) have bad periods.
Your job is real enough, just not under the heavy hand of a boss being directed by a big corporate entity. I have worked both for big companies and for myself and I definitely prefer the latter.
When I did work for a company, I like the camaraderie of having co-workers (usually). But as in all jobs there are bad apples...both employees and bosses. You're right...there should be some fun in any work environment. It just makes things so much more pleasant.
People that can earn a living doing what they enjoy doing are really lucky. I tend to enjoy things that wouldn't pay the bills, I think. That is not to say that I haven't had jobs that I really enjoy, though.
I agree, that working in cubicle land would be the worst as far as becoming disengaged. Any job that is limiting in movement and has a lot of repetition would get old in a hurry. But as you say, it's work and it would pay the bills. Sometime one has to take what one is given,
Isn't that the truth. We were expected to get a JOB and earn our way. Never was the notion of "enjoying" it discussed. Things have changed over the last several decades. Not a bad change, I guess. Of course, it's wonderful when people can earn a living from what they enjoy but still that isn't how is was presented in our youth.
As far as work ethic goes. I think the generations after us thought that they needed to have more enjoyment in their lives than we did. I, worry that that is going to bite them in the ass as some point. Saving for a rainy day is so out dated but the rainy days will still ultimately come.
As far as taxes go...I would nearly rather pay than do the paperwork.
I haven't seen that show about Henry Ford but my walking partner was talking about it and said it was really interesting. So Henry set the bar low on friendly workplaces, huh? I guess that was before PC became PC.
I have had both good and bad jobs...and you are right that even the best job will have some bad times. Que sera sera. As in all things we have to take the bad with the good.
I always felt like such a "nerd" at work because, as I told my employers, I LIKED being busy. It meant I always had something to do. I absolutely hated when there was nothing to do. Time passed so slowly. If I only had 3 hours of work in an 8 hours day, I would have been miserable. Why do people actually WANT free time at work...?
You and I have that in common. I used to manage a bank and midweek during the afternoon it's dead. I hated not having things to do to make the time pass quickly. I would rather be swamped than bored. I guess today people could take pictures on their iPhones and send them out on Rando...or better yet...read A Beer for the Shower. I suspect laughing out loud in the lobby of a bank is frowned upon by some bosses though.
I'm very lucky to have two career paths that I love. But I'm very unlucky to be, according to the state's definition, "impoverished." Very much so. Oh, well. It is worth it.
I hear ya, Robyn...there are things I enjoy doing but they don't provide a realistic wage. My real job is a Realtor, but I am not enjoying that so much the last few years. If only we could make a lot of moulah doing what we like.
I actually love my job and I usually work a lot of hours. Maybe it's a Canadian thing? I think Gallup should do a survey of Canadians. But only working ones, of course. I suspect the ones that aren't working might like their jobs more than the ones who are.
I think you are one of the lucky ones...although..I have had jobs that I really liked as well.
It would be interesting to compare how Canadians view their jobs vs. American workers. When I managed the unemployment office, there seems to be a lot of dissatisfaction in the area I worked in.
Interesting perspectives on a topic that hasn't engaged me for years since I stopped working for assholes. I also got lucky & very much like my work. We can't always be lucky enough to pick & choose, esp in a down economy. But if a person is unhappy at work, they need to be open to change by recognizing when it comes along or making it happen.
You are lucky on both parts of this topic...no asshole bosses and you like what you do. I have been self-employed for around 18 years so, it has been awhile since I have dealt with bad bosses but as a Realtor, I have had my share of dealing with jerkwads, in general.
A lot of my jobs I have really enjoyed but just as everyone else, I, also have had to take jobs because circumstances required it...especially when I was much younger. I hope I have the opportunity to pick and choose so as not to have to take a job I hate ...but who knows????
For seven years I managed an unemployment office and have heard some really sad stories how people ended up in various situations....so I never say never.
Thank you, CaliforniaGirl for stopping by. It's nice to see a new name here. Hope you come back. I will be by to visit your blog as well.
Hmm...
Well, back in the day, when I had a real-job, I worked 60+ hours a week - for peanuts - and I was fucking miserable.
The end.
Oh, I have been there too, my friend. I have been known to call my husband on my break just to warn him there was the likelihood of me imploding and telling my employer to go...well you know what I told him. There is just a limit how much a person should put up with.
Exactly.
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