I recently saw an article in Training and Development magazine that kind of surprised me. It was about what people liked and disliked about their jobs. The things that people liked didn’t surprise me that much. (Who doesn’t like spending time with their cool coworkers?) But the things that people disliked did surprise me. I guess I expected “low compensation” to be the first thing on the list, since money is such a concern for so many people. But it wasn’t.
Approximately 350 people were asked what they liked and disliked about their jobs, and here’s what they had to say…
People liked their jobs because of the following:
- Relationships with co-workers and clients – 43%
- Company values and culture – 18%
- Growth opportunities – 17%
People felt frustrated with their jobs because of the following:
- Few opportunities for growth – 55%
- Poor relationship with manager – 19%
- Poor fit with company values or culture – 14%
- Low compensation – 11%
And what would make people like their jobs more? 47% of people said they would like their jobs more if they felt more comfortable with their organization’s culture and values. 20% would feel happier if there were well-defined ways in which they could grow and advance in their organization.
So I guess it all comes down to this – people want to feel like they belong, and they want to feel like there’s room to grow. They want to have good relationships with their managers and coworkers, and feel comfortable in their working environment. And they want the opportunity to do better for themselves – to learn, improve, and advance in their organization.
Infograph (2015). Employee likes and dislikes about their jobs. Talent Development, 69(5), 15.
