Although four in ten UK adults feel that a higher salary would increase their job satisfaction, a new study has revealed that more money does not actually buy happiness in terms of employment.
The research, conducted by online printing specialists Instantprint, compared data on average weekly wages in 32 major UK cities and towns with job satisfaction levels.
And of the top 10 UK places that ranked highest for job satisfaction, eight have average weekly earnings that are below the country’s national average of £611 for full-time employees - equating to approximately £31,772 each year.
The City of Sunderland's workers almost topped the charts when it comes to feeling this way - 38 per cent of employees said they are 'very happy' with their current job - despite the weekly average salary of £513. This is roughly 16 per cent lower than the national average wage respectively.
The employees of Sunderland placed second in terms of job satisfaction regardless of wage, with Northampton topping the charts altogether with a 48 per cent satisfaction rate while still being 6 per cent behind on wages accordingly (£574 per week).
Retrospectively, although central Londoners bring in roughly £820 per week on average, just a quarter (26 per cent) feel satisfied in their job.
You can check out the top ten cities across the UK in terms of job satisfaction below.
City / Town |
% of workers who are 'very satisfied' in their job |
Average gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in the city |
How their wage compares to national average weekly wage |
Northampton |
48% |
£574 |
-6% |
Sunderland |
38% |
£513 |
-16% |
Chelmsford |
36% |
£631 |
3% |
Bath |
35% |
£575 |
-6% |
Wolverhampton |
32% |
£550 |
-10% |
Wrexham |
31% |
£565 |
-8% |
Portsmouth |
30% |
£615 |
1% |
York |
29% |
£636 |
4% |
Manchester |
27% |
£610 |
0% |
Liverpool |
27% |
£601 |
-2% |
Instantprint’s survey of 2,000 UK employees revealed that a harmonious team (36 per cent) and a good work-life balance (21 per cent) are key to job satisfaction, ruling out weekly, monthly and annual pay altogether.
Other key factors likely to improve the job satisfaction of Brits included being able to work tasks in general (31%), providing flexible working hours (25 per cent), nurturing a positive workplace culture (23 per cent).
Using the data they’d collected, Instantprint also ranked the ‘UK’s happiest working cities’ overall.
Overall, Manchester came out on top, with more than a quarter (27 per cent) of employees based in the northern metropolis rating their work satisfaction level as being ‘very high’ (5/5). The average weekly wage for workers in the Northern city is in line with the UK average at £610.
The ‘Happiest Working Towns and Cities’ in the UK
1. Manchester – scoring 86/100 in the research
2. Central London – 85/100
3. Oxford – 81/100
4. Cambridge – 77/100
5. Bristol – 76/100
6. Liverpool – 72/100
7. Edinburgh – 70/100
8. Chelmsford – 69 /100
9. Newcastle – 69/100
10. Derby – 68/100
Meanwhile, at the bottom end of the table was Durham, scoring just 11 out of a possible 100 points for worker happiness. Other locations that scored poorly were Middlesborough (13/100) and Derry (14/100).
Are you happy with your job? Let us know in the comments section below.
