A new report highlights the widespread dissatisfaction among German employees, with many expressing a lack of motivation and a desire to leave their current workplace. The “Work-Happiness Report” by Appinio, commissioned by Awork, a Hamburg-based software company, surveyed 1,000 employees in Germany and the UK, revealing a bleak picture of unfulfillment and disengagement.
According to the report, a significant proportion of German employees have already mentally checked out, with nearly a third frequently considering a job switch. The main reasons cited for this include poor leadership, a lack of purpose, limited development opportunities, inadequate pay and a lack of a sense of community.
While 59 percent of respondents reported performing their tasks adequately, they did so without enthusiasm. Seven percent, on the other hand, were merely going through the motions. Interestingly, the report found that German employees would be willing to forgo 22 percent of their salary to be happier in the same job.
The report also notes a striking difference in motivation between German and British employees. While only a third of German employees reported giving their best at work, the figure was nearly half (49 percent) in the UK. According to Awork’s CEO, Tobias Hagenau, this disparity can be attributed to the differing cultural associations of motivation, with Germans often linking it to a sense of duty and professionalism, whereas the British tend to associate it with emotional and positive experiences.