Younger and older workers in the UK travel and leisure sector enjoy the highest levels of job satisfaction, a new study suggests.
Those aged 55-plus and under-25s enjoy their jobs in the industry the most.
This contrasts with UK workers in general where job satisfaction peaks between 25-34 years old, with 69% of people in this age range saying they are satisfied.
However, three-quarters (76%) of staff in the travel and leisure industry are satisfied in their jobs – significantly more than the UK average of 66%.
The results come from a survey of 2,300 workers measuring levels of employee engagement and job satisfaction according to gender, age, location, income and industry sector.
Employee experience firm Qualtrics used the data to create a new 2017 benchmark of how engaged today’s employees feel within their work environments.
The research found that:
· Satisfaction levels are highest in the finance sector (74%) and travel and leisure industry (76%)
· This compares to 68% in retail, 67% in manufacturing and 66% in the public sector
· The travel and leisure sector scores highly on the aspects with the greatest positive impact on job satisfaction – engagement with business leaders (69%) and career prospects (61%)
· But benefits packages (46%) and pay (56%) score less favourably
· Job satisfaction in travel and leisure is highest for those aged 55-plus (85%) and those under 25 (61%)
Sheila Kearney, travel industry director at Qualtrics, said: “While pay and benefits achieve low scores among travel industry workers, our analysis shows these are not the factors with the greatest impact on employee satisfaction in this sector.
“The behaviour of business leaders and achieving a work-life balance are the most influential in driving satisfaction and staff retention and this is where hotel and hospitality is getting it right.
“Too often, today’s brands focus so doggedly on what their guests think that they forget the people closest to their business – their employees.
“In the hotel and hospitality sector, employees deal directly with the public on a day-to-day basis and their behaviour and mood are intrinsically linked to the guest experience.
“Understanding the key drivers to satisfaction and focusing on the areas with the greatest influence, hotels can drive greater employee engagement and this in turn will positively impact the guest experience.”