Where are all the Jobs?: Feb 15, 2011

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

The Work Buzz's Latest News: It’s Valentine’s Day: Do you love what you do?

It’s Valentine’s Day: Do you love what you do?

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 09:03 AM PST

In honor of Valentine's Day, let's talk a little about love. That fulfilling, secure and familiar kind of love that you feel when you have a really great … job.

That's right — though griping about work sometimes seems like a national pastime, (no relationship is ever perfect!) most employees agree that, when it comes to their jobs, they're actually head-over-heels.

A recent survey conducted by staffing firm Randstad found that more than half of American workers describe their feelings toward their job with the L-word, and most have found that their relationship with work is a two-way street — 62 percent of respondents reported feeling that their employers love them back.

“It's somewhat surprising that such a large percentage of workers say they love their job today despite layoffs, cutbacks and bigger workloads," Eileen Habelow, Ph.D., senior vice president of organizational development for Randstad, said in a statement. "This could point to feelings of gratitude and appreciation for being employed when so many have been laid off. Also, many workers have been given new opportunities to perform at work and could be feeling a greater sense of achievement and value to their employers."

Yet the gratitude employees feel for having a job isn't the only thing that contributes to their warm and fuzzy feelings toward their work.

According to the survey, job affinity is most common for workers who:

Enjoy the kind of work they do (66 percent)
Like their co-workers (11 percent)
Like their employers (10 percent)
Are well-paid (9 percent)

Despite the fact that most workers said they were happy in their current employment situation, more than half of those surveyed felt their job was more "casual fling" than "let’s grow old together." Fifty-two percent said they didn't think their current job was going anywhere in terms of learning opportunities or promotions. Still, most workers will remain loyal to their employment relationships. Only 17 percent said they were currently looking for a new position with another company.

Unfortunately, not everyone surveyed felt the workplace love. Thirty-seven percent of workers said they hated their jobs, with 29 percent citing the type of work they did as they reason. Other factors that contributed to a low score on the love scale included workers' dissatisfaction with salary (25 percent) or their employers (23 percent).

Unlucky in (job) love? Check out:

5 tips for quitting with class

6 reasons you hate your job (and what you can do about it)

2 weeks at this job and I hate it — should I quit?

Love your job so much you want to marry it? Read these:

How to become the employee no one can afford to lose

Are you ready for a promotion?

20 ways to impress the boss

Love your job? Tell us why, below.