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March 10th, 2011, 13:10 GMT · By

Half of US Workers Feel Stressed, Undervalued

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Half of employees in the United States report feeling stressed and undervalued in the workplace
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A new national poll conducted in the United States has revealed that half of all employees feel that the amount of money they get for their work makes them feel undervalued and plays a role in the stress they feel. A large proportion is also reporting experiencing excessive levels of stress daily.

A comparison of happiness and satisfaction levels between employees and the unemployed reveals that the latter group is a lot less happy and satisfied. Those who have a job naturally feel they are better off.

But the results of this survey shows that this good mood is affected by excessive stress levels, with some 36 percent of respondents saying that they are stressed by at least some aspects of their jobs, PsychCentral reports.

About 49 percent of workers say that their low salaries are also having an impact on the levels of stress they are experiencing. This issue has many sides, and is a symptoms of more complex problems.

For instance, those who work for low wages feel they are constantly being targeted by their employers. If they complain about the pay, then they are replaced with other people, previously unemployed, who are just happy to get a chance to work.

This type of situation, which was brought about by the global financial crisis the United States started, is a goldmine for employers, who can literally go wild with their workers' paychecks. For the average employee, this situation only adds to the stress their jobs already entail.

Harris Interactive conducted this poll on behalf of the American Psychological Association. It was carried out online between January 31 and February 8, and identified a host of things people complain about in regards to their jobs.

For example, 43 percent of respondents said that they lack the opportunities needed to grow and advance hierarchically, while another 43 percent said that the workload was too heavy. Some 4 percent blasted the long hours, while roughly the same number said job expectations were unrealistic.

The poll showed that only 57 percent of employees nationwide were satisfied with the work-life practices they carried out their activities in. Only 43 percent of all respondents got the non-monetary rewards and recognition they felt they deserved.

When asked whether they were interested in getting a new job elsewhere, 32 percent said they were thinking about doing so in the next year. Only half of those who took the survey felt appreciated at the workplace overall.

The new research again highlights the fact that it's vital for employers to take the necessary steps to ensure the well-being of their employees. This helps reduce stress, the number of medical leave days, and also contributes significantly to improving productivity.

A little encouragement and appreciation can really go a long way. 

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Comment #1 by: Bryan Mawn on 19 Oct 2011, 11:18 UTC reply to this comment

All this makes depressing reading, however I can relate to all that is written; no opportunities, vast workload, long hours etc. then stress sets in.

I live in the UK and it came to a point six months ago, May 2011, when I could no longer accept everything that was being thrown at me by the company that I worked for 26 years, it wasn't a choice, I had hit a brick wall and mutually agreed to leave the company within one week; it was such a risk but also a relief to get away from that environment.

I have been faced with the difficult task of finding another job, however, when I do, it will be a job that I want to do with the opportunity of career enhancement etc.

As part of job hunting process, I have recently discovered and completed a personality test, I can now understand why I totally despised my job and why I became frustrated with the company director; it was all down to personalities. If I had known then what I know now, I could have achieved an element of acceptance and understanding and maybe addressed some of the problems, however I am where I am, no regrets.

I am lucky to be in the position that I am in and really looking forward to finding employment that I will enjoy and can apply the many benefits of my core personality, as opposed to skills.
The reason for me writing is to share my story and if your readers do decide to make a job change, not to walk into the same problem with a different company without first considering how your personality works; this may sound soppy but it is extremely important otherwise you will not last in that job either.

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