Only 18% of Flemish people are happy with their jobs

Only 18% of Flemish people are happy with their jobs
Work meeting. Credit: Unsplash

New research from Ghent University shows that only one in five people in Flanders are happy with their work, reported Het Laatste Nieuws and De Morgen. Researchers from Ghent University teamed up wih Bilandi research agency to ask one thousand Flemish people how happy they were one a scale from one to ten in a survey.

63.6% gave a score of six to eight out of ten, which means 'reasonable satisfied'. But less than one in five (18.2%) is really happy, with a score of more than nine out of ten.

A demanding culture, long working hours and conflicts with colleagues undermine happiness at work. Eight out of ten employees feel stressed due to work, and more than one in four find it hard to relax event at home because even there they still worry about work.

Requirements for job satisfaction

Working close to home and having sufficient holidays are the most important factors for happiness at work, according to Bart. "Whoever can decide for themselves how they do their work is also happier," said Employment Economics Professor Stijn Baert in Het Laastse Nieuws.

Being in control over work output is key as well as appreciation from the employer. Yet only half of employees say they get the respect they deserve from their managers. Furthermore, less than half of respondents (45.4%) feel that they receive enough constructive feedback about their work.

Moreover, the relationship employees have with other colleagues boosts satisfaction with work. If colleagues trust and support each other, they feel happier.

Intriguingly, Baert adds that money alone doesn't guarantee job happiness. "Money does indeed make the employee happier. For many it is a major motivation to choose a certain job," Baert said in De Morgen. "But we also know: if it's only about money, people usually don't keep a job. That alone does not keep an employee happy."


Copyright © 2024 The Brussels Times. All Rights Reserved.