How the wrong job is affecting your health

Those unhappy with their jobs are twice as likely to report poor health and mental wellbeing.

Statistics New Zealand’s Survey of Working Life released last year, showed 18 per cent of workers who were dissatisfied with their employment reported poor health, compared with 9.4 per cent of people who were satisfied.

“This may be that poor job satisfaction is having an effect on these individuals’ health or that those who are experiencing poor health are finding work more challenging, less satisfactory, or more difficult to manage.”

Sixteen per cent of those who were satisfied with their main job were classified as having poor mental wellbeing, compared with 43 per cent who were dissatisfied; 88 per cent of employed New Zealanders are satisfied or very satisfied with their job.

The study also showed Kiwis are a nation of job changers.

Employers tended to have longer job tenures; 78 per cent had been in the same job for five or more years, compared with 55 per cent of people who were self-employed, while only 38 per cent of employees have been in the same job for five or more years.

The industries with the highest proportion of staff in the same job for 10 years or more were agriculture, forestry, and fishing (38 per cent), manufacturing (32 per cent), and public administration and safety (31 per cent).

Autonomy levels were lower for employees with short job tenure. Of employees in their job less than a year, 50 per cent had a lot of control over how they do their tasks and 38 per cent had a lot of control over organising their daily work. In employees with a job tenure of at least five years, that increased to 67 and 58 per cent.

Of permanent employees, 4 per cent indicate there was a high chance, or it was almost certain, they would lose their job in the next 12 months. A further 12 per cent said there was a medium chance.