Course Library, a training platform set up by jobs website CV-Library, published a survey showing that eight out of ten UK workers (80 per cent) have gone through a slow, dissatisfying period in their working lives.
Some 1,200 people between the ages of 18 and 64 took part in the poll. One in three respondents (33 per cent) who had experienced career slumps said it was the result of poor career progression.
A lack of training and development (17 per cent) and repetitive tasks (12 per cent) were other common reasons.
When participants were asked about the negative emotions they have felt in the workplace, boredom was the most common complaint, with 30 per cent of people saying it has been a problem for them in the past.
Lee Biggins, co-founder of Course Library, said: “It’s clear from our findings that many employees in the UK are hitting roadblocks in their careers. Not only is this disheartening for the worker themselves, but it can also present problems for businesses when it comes to talent retention.
“Employees need to feel as if they are moving forward in their careers and this can only be achieved if organisations are offering the right opportunities and helping members of staff to expand their skill-sets, develop and grow alongside the business.”
With career slumps and job dissatisfaction affecting a significant proportion of workers, what actions can people take to reinvigorate their careers and add some excitement and diversity to their working lives?
In the Course Library survey, 41 per cent of people who had felt dissatisfied at work said they went on to leave their job. More than a quarter (28 per cent) felt the best approach was to expand their skills through some form of training or online learning.
Other common responses include speaking to managers about opportunities for career progression (23 per cent) and asking for a mentor in the workplace (20 per cent).
For many people, one of the most exciting and liberating career prospects is to become their own boss. That could mean going into freelance or contract-based work, or starting a business.
Options such as these are becoming increasingly feasible thanks to innovative, flexible working options such as short-term office hire and digital technology that allows people to work and collaborate from anywhere.
Britain is known for its entrepreneurial spirit, and research has suggested that this has not been affected by recent adversity and challenges such as the country’s impending exit from the European Union.
A survey by Idinvest Partners found that 44 per cent of the UK population still consider Britain to be the best place in Europe to start a business, ahead of closest rivals Germany.
Separate research by City Breaks in Newcastle asked business owners what they enjoy the most about their line of work, with being their own boss (76 per cent), flexible hours (64 per cent), having the final say (40 per cent) and putting their own team together (25 per cent) topping the list.
So it seems that there are many benefits to be gained from entrepreneurship that could help people get over even the most difficult of career slumps.
Posted by Julie Tucker
Back to Blogs