A quarter of people in the UK are unhappy at work (23%) and more than a third (36%) do not feel appreciated, new research by NGA Human Resources has revealed today. The survey, published on Employee Appreciation Day, also found that over a quarter of all employees (28%) are actively looking for a new job.

Many of those questioned (37%) said more regular praise is key in making them feel more appreciated at work, demonstrating that a simple "Thank you" can go a long way in improving staff morale.

Despite this, the majority of companies (67%) don’t have a visible and formal employee appreciation scheme in place,according to those questioned.

Currently, the most common ways for employers to show their appreciation of staff include regular praise (41%) and financial rewards / bonuses (23%). However, whether they feel appreciated or not, two-thirds (65%) of employees want more financial recognition for their achievements. 

The research has also found that over 55s are both the happiest at work (81%) and feel most appreciated (66%). The oldest generation of the UK workforce is also least likely to be looking for a new job (17%) and are least motivated by financial rewards (62%) in comparison to other age groups.

Ian Dowd, marketing director at NGA Human Resources said: “Recognition and appreciation are vital to staff engagement and productivity. Our research shows that many workers feel less appreciated than they probably should, with many actively looking to leave the company they currently work for.

If businesses want to retain the talent they have, they need to act on these findings and put formal and informal ways of showing their appreciation to employees in place. Line managers have a big role to play here but companies also need to look at financial rewards as a way of keeping key workers feeling appreciated and engaged.”