When asked how they feel about their job if it were to come to life as a person, less than 10% of full-time US workers say they love it enough to marry it, and young, single workers are most inclined to look for another match, according to survey sponsored by Taleo Research and conducted by Harris Interactive.
Respondents were asked to describe their affection for their current position based on the following responses: I like my job so much I’d marry it; I like my job enough, I’d date it seriously; It’s ok, I’d date it casually; I don’t like it, it won’t last long; or I hate it, I want to break up with it immediately.
Key findings show that employees lack deep affection for their current position:
- Only 9% of all survey respondents said they love their job so much they would marry it.
- 14% of respondents either hate their job so much they want to break up or they don’t like it and don’t think it will last for long.
The survey finds that a third of workers like their job well enough, but that the majority are lukewarm on their current position. Further, four of 10 categories – age, income, region and marital status – have significant influence on a person’s level of attraction for their job.
Additional findings about job affection:
- Employees Are Looking for [Job] Love: Only 9% of respondents say they love their job so much they would marry it. Approximately one-third (34%) say they like it, while half of respondents either think it’s ok (43%), don’t like it (9%) or hate it (5%).
- Older Employees Feel More Love: Those over age 55 are more likely to love or like their job (53%), compared with 18-34 year olds (37%). More 18-34 year olds say their job is ok (44%), compared with 55+ year-olds (39%); And nearly a fifth of 18-34-year-olds (19%) say they don’t like or hate their job, compared with less than a tenth of 55+ year olds (7%).
- More Money, More Love: Nearly half of respondents earning more than $75K annually per household (49%) say they love or like their job, compared with roughly one-third of respondents who earned less than $35K (36%). Nearly half (48%) who earn less than $35K say their job is ok, compared with a little over one-third of those with household income greater than $75k (38%). More of those who earn less than $35K say they don’t like or hate their job (16%), compared with 13% with household income greater than $75K.
- Geography Matters: Respondents who live in the West are more likely to like or love their job (48%), compared with those in the Northeast (39%). Those in the Northeast are more likely to be ambivalent about their job, with 49% saying they think it’s ok, compared with 36% of those in the West. 16% of respondents who live in the West said they don’t like or hate their job, compared with 12% who live in the Northeast.
- Job and Marriage Love Connection: Respondents who are married are much more likely to love or like their job (50%), than those who are single or have never been married (29%). Nearly half (47%) of married respondents say their job is ok, compared with 41% of never-been-married respondents. Some 9% of married respondents say they don’t like or hate their job and want to break-up with it immediately, compared with 24% of single respondents.
“It’s no secret that many Americans spend more time at work than with their significant others. Even on the holiday created in the name of love [Valentine’s Day], millions of people will dedicate at least eight hours of their day to a date with their employer as opposed to a date with their spouse,” said Alice Snell, VP of Taleo Research. “Still, we are finding that the time spent at work isn’t causing workers to fully engage with their jobs in ways that increase job satisfaction and productivity.”
About the survey: The survey asked 1,215 adults ages18+ who are employed full or part time how they would feel about their job if it were to come to life as a person.
