The auditing and accounting industry enjoys the highest job satisfaction rates in UK.
A reported conducted by Totaljobs and Universum asked 16,000 workers how satisfied they are with their job and found auditors and accountants have the highest level of satisfaction. They are also the least likely to leave of any sector/industry.
More specifically, auditors and accountants were second most satisfied with their current employer (only behind digital media/software development), fourth most likely to recommend their current employer to a friend and second most loyal to their employer (behind agriculture, fishing, and forestry).
Alexandra Sydney, Director at Totaljobs said: “Our research shows that three accountancy firms feature in the top 20 Business rankings – PWC (9th), Deloitte (14th) and EY (18th). We know that workers place most value on roles with strong career progression, training and development on top of good earnings potential, as well as companies that drive market success and respect their staff. The success of these businesses in the rankings is a sign that they’re prioritising investment in their employees’ growth and development and creating work environments that drive loyalty and satisfaction.”
Half of workers looking elsewhere
The survey results found that across all sectors, 50% plan to change jobs within the year.
The survey also finds:
- 38% hope to move in the next six months
- 10% expect to work for the same employer in four years’ time
For those job searching the biggest reason given were:
- Professional training and development (32%)
- Career progression (30%)
- Unlikely to grow in current role (25%)
“Despite economic uncertainty, British workers are confident, and willing to look elsewhere and change jobs in order to get the things they want from an employer,” Sydney said.
“For employers focused on retention, it’s clear that money isn’t the key driver in job satisfaction. Instead a healthy work-life balance, feeling valued, and having opportunities to progress is what keeps people in a job. Happy employees are engaged employees, and while a fall in productivity can cost a business financially, fixing the issues needn’t. When attracting new hires, it’s these same elements that businesses should shout about in order to land the best talent”.
Claes Peyron, Managing Director at Universum gave some advice to encourage employee retention:
“In this hyperactive job market, employers should consider how they build an attractive employer brand in order to stand out from the crowd and attract the talent their business really needs. From embracing social media to celebrate successes and show the average working day, to tell engaging stories about the things that define and set them apart as an employer, [organisations should be mindful in prioritising employee retention]”