Study: Most of Us Enjoy Our Work

Everyone wants to be happy at work, but levels of happiness vary by an employee’s job and field, among other factors, according to a new study of more than 12,000 workers by the Robert Half staffing agency.

Among the key findings of the study, titled “It’s Time We All Work Happy: The Secrets of the Happiest Companies and Employees”:

— Most professional employees are generally happy. On a happiness scale of zero to 100, those surveyed scored a 71. Senior executives had the highest happiness levels, while people working in sales and customer service were on the lower end of the spectrum.

— The power of pride. Having pride in one’s organization is the No. 1 driver of happiness overall. Those who feel proud of their organization are three times more likely to be happy than those who are not.

— Respect and appreciation go a long way. The second and third top factors driving happiness are feeling appreciated and being treated with fairness and respect.

— People working in firms with 10 or fewer employees have the highest happiness levels. Organizations with 10,000 or more employees report the lowest. People working in the education and training sectors, as well as those in marketing and design, report the highest levels of on-the-job happiness and interest in their work. Finance professionals were among those reporting the lowest levels.

— Legal professionals report the highest stress levels at work, while technology employees cite the lowest stress levels.