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Extra.ie
4 days ago
- Health
- Extra.ie
Half of Irish workers do not like their jobs
More than half (53%) of the Irish workforce are not excited about their job and are only in their job as a way to make ends meet, a new survey has revealed. The survey also found that Irish workers were more stressed than the European average, with almost a quarter (24%) taking time off due to their mental health. 1,000 employees were questioned about their well being and their work environment as part of a survey for SD Worx Ireland. More than half (53%) of the Irish workforce are not excited about their job and are only in their job as a way to make ends meet, a new survey has revealed. Pic: Shutterstock Of those surveyed, 39% admitted they feel pressured into coming into work even when they are ill, while the same figure revealed they felt guilty when they called in sick. Elsewhere, it was seen that companies and organisations are taking proactive approaches to mental health with 45% of those questioned, confirming they are comfortable talking about it to colleague. 69% of the participants said their work place is committed to supporting employee wellbeing. Of those surveyed, 39% admitted they feel pressured into coming into work even when they are ill, while the same figure revealed they felt guilty when they called in sick. Pic: Getty Images More than half (53%) of those surveyed revealed they were not excited about their job and were only in the role to earn some money. That said, the same number said they were happy with their work-life balance. Eimear Byrne, country leader of SD Worx Ireland said the survey had brought up 'concerning trends' regarding employees in the work environment. 'Employees are feeling under pressure, which is resulting in many not believing in the work that they are doing,' she explained, 'At a time when there is full employment in Ireland, organisations must prioritise creating environments where people feel supported, valued, and able to do meaningful work.' She added that while employers are placing an increased focus on the wellbeing of staff, this must include financial well-ebing. 'Only 35% of employees believe that their organisation cares about the financial well-being of its workers,' she noted, 'Payroll must be part of this conversation.'
Irish Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Health
- Irish Daily Mirror
High stress levels among Ireland's workforce as 24% taking mental health leave
Ireland's workforce is more stressed than the European average, as almost a quarter of employees took mental health leave last year. According to a new survey, 24 per cent of workers called in sick due to their mental health in 2024, 6 per cent higher than the European average. The workplace is causing significant stress for many employees, with 29 per cent saying their organisation negatively impacts them. Ivox carried out the survey for SD Worx Ireland, asking 1,000 employees about their well-being and their workplace. Stress is high with half of all respondents saying they find their work mentally demanding or stressful. However, the tides are changing on opening up about mental health with 45 per cent of workers saying they feel comfortable discussing this with their team. In addition, 43 per cent say their organisation actively undertakes initiatives to support mental health. A high percentage (69 per cent) say that their organisation publicly presents itself as committed to supporting its employees' wellbeing. While a high percentage of respondents took time off work due to their mental health, many still find it difficult to take time off. Some 39 per cent said they feel guilty when they call in sick, while the same percentage feel pressure to work even when they are ill. More than half (53 per cent) of respondents are not passionate about their job, and just see it as a means to make a living. Despite high levels of stress among Ireland's workforce, 53 per cent said they feel ultimately satisfied with their work-life balance. Country Leader of SD Worx Ireland, Eimear Byrne, said the research highlights some "concerning trends" around mental health and wellbeing in the Irish workplace. She added: "Employees are feeling under pressure, which is resulting in many not believing in the work that they are doing. At a time when there is full employment in Ireland, organisations must prioritise creating environments where people feel supported, valued, and able to do meaningful work." Ivox carried out the survey for SD Worx Ireland, asking 1,000 employees about their well-being and their workplace (Image: Getty) Ms Byrne said while it's encouraging to see organisations present themselves as supporting their employees' wellbeing, it must be an all-round approach. In response to the survey, only 35 per cent said they believe their company cares about the financial well-being of its workers. She continued: "It is encouraging to see that employees are not only being more open about their mental health at work, but that employers are placing an increased focus on their wellbeing. This must include financial well-being - but only 35 per cent of employees believe that their organisation cares about the financial well-being of its workers. Payroll must be part of this conversation. "Timely, accurate pay builds financial security, while fair and transparent processes around sick leave, entitlements, and rewards help create a culture of trust." In a 2023 study, Ireland was ranked one of the most stressed countries in Europe. CBD company examined the depression prevalence, anxiety prevalence, reports of stress levels, reports of sadness levels, reports of enjoyment levels, and average weekly hours worked, to discover the continent's most stressed countries. Out of 35 countries, Greece was the most stressed, followed by Turkey, Portugal, Malta and Cyprus. Ireland came in fifth place, followed by Spain, Italy, France and Switzerland to make up the top 10 most stressed countries in Europe. As this country's workforce is stressed, teenagers are not doing much better. While a UNICEF report found that Irish teenagers are doing well in school, they are some of the least happy in life in high-income countries. The study, which examined the mental and physical state of 43 OECD and EU countries, found that one in three Irish teenagers has "low life satisfaction". Life satisfaction dipped in this country in recent years, with a notable decline in children's mental health between the pre- and post-Covid periods. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
RTÉ News
4 days ago
- Health
- RTÉ News
One in four workers took mental health leave last year
A new survey reveals that 24% of employees in Ireland took leave for their mental health last year, which is higher than the European average of 18%. The survey, carried out by iVOX on behalf of payroll and HR solutions provider SD Worx, also found that some 29% of employees admit that working in their organisation negatively impacts their mental health. It also reveals that 50% of workers surveyed say they find their work mentally demanding or stressful, while 45% of them feel comfortable discussing this with their team. Meanwhile, 43% say their organisation actively undertakes initiatives to support mental health. The survey also explored how employees perceive their work obligations and found that 39% feel guilty when they take time off work. The same percentage feel pressure to work even when they are sick and such issues may explain why 56% see their job as simply a way to earn a living, SD Worx, said. But despite the pressures that many face, 53% of employees feel they are ultimately satisfied with their work-life balance, while 69% say that their organisation publicly presents itself as committed to supporting its employees' wellbeing. Eimear Byrne, Country Leader at SD Worx Ireland, said the latest research highlights some concerning trends around mental health and wellbeing in the Irish workplace. "Employees are feeling under pressure, which is resulting in many not believing in the work that they are doing. At a time when there is full employment in Ireland, organisations must prioritise creating environments where people feel supported, valued, and able to do meaningful work," she said.
Irish Independent
15-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
One in five employees say they've misused annual leave policies amid growing job dissatisfaction
Payroll and HR service SD Worx Ireland surveyed 1,000 employees in Ireland to find that while 21pc of employees admitted to misusing the policies themselves, 40pc said their teams at work were faced with staff shortages due to growing absenteeism. 'This suggests that employees are not owning up to it, or their colleagues are overly suspicious,' the report said. 'It exposes some common grievances among employees in Ireland and found that almost half feel they are underpaid for the work that they do.' The survey highlights that employees feel overworked with nearly half saying they face staff shortages and are struggling to keep up with their current workload. People were not hopeful about work conditions improving – with around 48pc of the employees saying they expect their team to face worsening talent shortages over the coming years, very few of them felt like the skill gaps would be easy to fill. This research highlights a growing sense of dissatisfaction among Ireland's workforce However, most employees said they coped with the pressure by staying strict with their own workloads and schedules – 44pc said they were 'solely focusing on what is necessary and not working overtime'. The survey also found that employees found ways to stay motivated – 63pc said they were passionate about their work despite their work environments. Eimear Byrne, country leader at SD Worx Ireland, said Irish workers were also dissatisfied with the leadership at their workplaces. 'This research highlights a growing sense of dissatisfaction among Ireland's workforce. With 39pc of respondents saying their manager struggles with effective leadership, it's clear that many employees feel they're lacking valuable guidance and mentorship,' said Ms Byrne. In the face of the rising pressures and lack of mentorship, the survey found that 44pc of the workers surveyed were currently looking for a new job. More than half of them find it difficult in the current labour market. 'We are now seeing a knock-on effect with more people actively seeking to change jobs and widespread concerns about staff shortages, as well as underpayment,' Ms Byrne said. ADVERTISEMENT Ireland is at full employment and organisations are facing a critical need to re-evaluate how they engage and support employees 'This comes as the EU Pay Transparency Directive is due to be transposed into Irish law in June 2026 – if done right, this could be an opportunity to alleviate employees' pay concerns and help to build trust.' The EU Pay Transparency Directive which came into effect in June 2023 will require employers to disclose salary ranges on job advertisements. Ms Byrne added that organisations would need to find new ways to support their workforce in light of rising dissatisfaction. 'Ireland is at full employment and organisations are facing a critical need to re-evaluate how they engage and support employees,' she said. 'The changing economic landscape is making businesses more conservative and they are under increased pressure to keep operations running smoothly, while trying to retain talent. With skills shortages and rising absenteeism in the mix, it's becoming harder to strike that balance. 'Now is the time to invest in people strategies and provide employees with the support, development opportunities, and workplace culture they need to thrive.'
