Research finds that employment unhappiness reached an all-time high in 2022 

Following the uncertainty of a global pandemic, the need for a work-life balance has become a necessity for millions of employees but remains difficult to obtain in a climate of mounting economic pressure. As a result, companies are beginning to observe a broadening gap between the amount one puts into their work, compared to what they feel they’re getting out of it. This is now being touted as ‘career fatigue’. According to research from Gallop, employment unhappiness reached an all-time high in 2022, leading many to seek a career change due to feeling their job is negatively impacting their mental health. In light of this, co-founders of Rethinkly – the leading metaverse platform helping businesses resolve communication challenges in the workplace - Andrew Jackson and David Tinker, discuss how organisations can protect both their employees and business outcomes from the effects of this.  

According to research from Rethinkly, almost 40% of UK workers stated they would prioritise their wellbeing over a higher salary or career progression, highlighting the growing importance of companies nurturing their staff wellbeing to increase engagement and productivity. Despite trends like 'career fatigue' storming the media, appropriate support remains a limited resource with only 9% of organisations having a mental health policy to help employees. Additionally, less than half provide any mental health training for staff or management. To combat this, Rethinkly's platform aims to provide support across entire organisations no matter their size to ensure that all employees are receiving adequate support for their wellbeing.   

Further to this, a recent YouGov poll found that only 17% of Brits love their job, whilst more than 76% are frequently tired, and one-third (10 million workers) feel undervalued at work. The growing trend of people no longer feeling engaged and uninterested in their roles is suggestive of the need for a change in how organisations support their staff to ensure career fatigue becomes a rarity as opposed to a trend. 


Co-founder of Rethinkly David Tinker discusses the need and benefit for organisations to improve their team communication:

“If we think of the teams and groups we work in, why do some perform better than others? Well, it turns out that people being able to express themselves, say what they think, call out bad stuff, and feel connected to their colleagues are the things that really make a difference. For most, employee voice means sending out an annual survey and then trying to work out what to do with the results. Ambitious organisations are using tools like Rethinkly to discover what their talent really thinks and feels only then do you have real power through more comprehensive data to make positive changes.”
 
“Most challenges at work stem from a lack of or just bad communication. Communication challenges are directly aligned with morale, productivity, and commitment which have real business impact. Effective communication and building a strong culture based on healthy engagement are often talked about but surprisingly difficult to achieve. But when organisations start to embed and grow critical communication skills and adopt them as a competitive advantage, they can start to see a significant shift in their trajectory. ” 

Co-founder of Rethinkly, Andrew Jackson discusses the importance of communication in the workplace and how companies can prioritise wellbeing:

"Whether work is a grind or a dream job, we spend an average of 13-14 years of our lives doing it! Work has a huge impact on our wellbeing which underpins the culture, the relationships, and the way work gets done. Ambitious organisations understand their role in actively addressing employee wellbeing and the opportunity for their businesses. There is a direct payback both financially as data shows spending £1 will get them £5 back, and in growth by unlocking innovation and creativity. ”
 
“Consider as well how much organisations spend on health insurance and sick leave payments, versus how much they spend helping employees to communicate better and build better relationships. Turning the equation around will help to improve the bottom line. With better communication