Indeed reveals 72 per cent of workers have felt unhappy in the past year,

Australian workers are becoming more miserable, according to new research – but experts say it’s their own fault.

Aussie workers are increasingly miserable but experts say happiness is a personal responsibility.

New research by job site Indeed reveals 72 per cent of workers have felt unhappy in the past year, while almost a quarter admit their unhappiness has lasted at least five consecutive months.

Indeed psychologist Amanda Gordon says Australians re-evaluated their work expectations following the pandemic and now want far more than what’s on offer.

“We used to put up with (being unhappy at work) because it was work – it wasn’t about being happy, it was about having somewhere to go to pay (for what we wanted to do) for the rest of our lives (outside of work),” Gordon says.

“But in the days of Covid, we saw home and work merge together and we’ve now become more thoughtful about what we want work to mean to us.”

Experts say workers are often to blame for being unhappy at work.

While employers should contribute to staff wellbeing, Gordon says workers are responsible for their own happiness.

“It’s a two-way street,” she says.

“Employers can do everything they possibly can but if you are just sitting there waiting for (your boss) to take action then you are never going to be happy.’’

QUIET QUITTING WON’T HELP

Those who feel connected to their colleagues are making valuable contributions to the workplace or who share their company’s values are far more likely to be happy at work, says Gordon.

She says the quiet quitting movement, which encourages workers to stop going above and beyond and only do what their role requires, on the premise of delivering a better work-life balance, will never work.

“The problem with that whole movement is it will lead to greater and greater unhappiness because it calls for a lack of engagement in your work,” Gordon says.

“If you want to be happy at work then you have to be engaged at work.”

IT’S NOT THE JOB

The isolation of working from home has been one of the biggest contributors to worker unhappiness since the pandemic but Gordon feels it has largely gone unrecognised.

“In the last 12 months, there have been people that have not spoken to another human being for days and days and days,” she says.

“We’ve lost those water cooler moments to cross paths (and socialise) with our colleagues.

“People think their unhappiness is because of the job they’re in but they’re often not recognising the context in which they are doing that job and the lack of contact they are having with their colleagues.”

Alisha Edwards, a senior associate at Coote Family Lawyers, enjoys work due to the support of her colleagues.

Alisha Edwards works in the highly demanding and emotionally charged area of family law yet enjoys a high level of happiness and job satisfaction, mainly due to the support of her colleagues.

“We are kind of like a big family here – there’s a real sense of cohesion with everyone that works here and I think that really helps,” says Edwards, a senior associate at Coote Family Lawyers.

BAD DAYS HAPPEN

Indeed’s research reveals more than a quarter of Australians are now looking for new roles because they are unhappy in their current job.

But Langley Group chief executive and positive psychology expert Sue Langley says it is important to remember that even the happiest of people experience bad days at work.

She says getting adequate sleep, eating well and getting plenty of exercise are proven ways to improve happiness levels but changing jobs rarely delivers the results workers are looking for.

“Knowing your job is easy to get out of (if you don’t like it) actually brings less satisfaction,” she says.

“I know people that complained about their previous job, then their new job and now, after two weeks (in another job), they’re complaining again.

“You can experience far more satisfaction by doing the hard work of finding the benefits in your existing job rather than jumping to another.”

HOW TO BE HAPPIER

• Have positive interactions with colleagues. Even if you work away from other members of your team, have coffee breaks and lunch at the same time and catch up over the phone so you feel connected and involved in their lives.

• Regularly catch-up with your boss for feedback and so you know what is expected of you.

• Talk about your workload before it gets too much. Let your boss know if you are working beyond reasonable hours or you feel overwhelmed.

• Set proper start and endpoints to your day and stick to them.

• Have regular breaks and include exercise in your day.

• End each day by focusing on what you have achieved and knowing that you’ve put in your best effort, rather than what hasn’t been done.

Source: Amanda Gordon, Indeed

Originally published as Indeed reveals 72 per cent of workers have felt unhappy in the past year,