UK workers' job satisfaction at two-year low as employers fail to engage staff, CIPD finds

Many of the least satisfied employees were found to be in the private sector

Surveys have repeatedly shown that remuneration is not necessarily linked with employee satisfaction (Getty Images)

Employers have been urged to rethink their approach to staff and management after job satisfaction plunged to a two-year low in the UK.

Figures from the Chartered Institute of Personal Development, a professional HR body, showed that almost one in four workers were looking to leave their jobs because of the failure of managers to engage and retain staff.

Many of the least satisfied employees were found to be in the private sector. Employees in businesses with fewer than 10 employees were found to have the highest levels of job satisfaction, but even these workers were less satisfied than in August 2015.

Unfair management processes were cited as the cause of the disastisfaction by more than a fifth of employees responding to the CIPD survey. Over a quarter of the respondents said they were dissatisfied with the opportunity to develop their skills in their current role, while 36 per cent said they were unlikely to fulfil their career aspirations in their current role.

Claire McCartney, research adviser for resourcing a talent planning at the CIPD, said that jobs and career management had not kept pace with changes in the workplace or the expectations of employees.

"Although many organisations are flatter in structure and have adopted matrix ways of working, this can mean routes for career progression are not as clear. Despite wider global economic uncertainty, employers need to think of new ways to keep their employees engaged and committed," McCartney said.

She advised organisations to think about career growth in a more holistic was, rather than traditional hierarchical progression, giving employees opportunities to improve skills in different areas.

The survey also showed that 41 per cent of employees were satisfied with their level of pay, more than the 36 per cent who thought they should be paid more.

Surveys have repeatedly shown that remuneration is not necessarily linked with employee satisfaction.

Glassdoor Economic Research that looked at 221,00 salaries and employer reviews found that employees were more concerned about their career path, working with a competent team and a positive work environment in the long term.