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Who are the UK’s 'most appreciated employees'?

RETAIL WORKERS and teachers based in Wales are the nation’s glummest grafters, according to recent research by job search engine Adzuna, which launched its expanded ValueMyCV tool this week. Charity workers, those in social work and in the property industry rounded-out the top five least happy workers.

South-eastern HR professionals, on the other hand, could be the happiest workers in Britain, the research found. Consultants came a close second, with 43.8% claiming to be satisfied with current salaries. Builders, marketers and energy workers make-up the top five happiest workers in the country.

Attitudes towards pay rises were also analysed by the research. The study showed that almost 40% of us are convinced we are paid less than our colleagues, while only a fraction (a mere 6%) believe they are paid more. Workers ages 35-44 were most likely to worry they were paid less than other employees, while those in their 20’s showed the highest levels of confidence in their compensation, with 10.2% believing they were paid more than colleagues.

Despite an overarching sentiment that we may be underpaid compared with co-workers, more than half of UK employees (53%) admitted they have no idea of their true value to employers.

Doug Monro, co-founder of Adzuna, commented:

"British workplaces are rife with uncertainty over pay. An ingrained lack of transparency over earnings and salary bandings has created a culture of conviction that others must be paid more than us. Combined with a lack of knowledge of what our own skills are worth to employers in today’s job market, this spells a recipe for disaster for ambitious career builders. With Adzuna’s ValueMyCV, it’s time for employees to take matters into their own hands and arm themselves with the information they need to thrive.”

THE FIVE HAPPIEST CAREERS IN THE UK

1. HR
2. Consultancy
3. Trade and construction
4. PR and marketing
5. Energy, oil and gas

THE FIVE UNHAPPIEST CAREERS IN THE UK

1. Retail
2. Teacher
3. Charity
4. Social Work
5. Property

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