Kenyans aged between the ages of 25-35 are the happiest age group at work followed by those who just joined the workforce at 18-24.
Those falling outside these groups are stuck with jobs and employers they are not happy with but with little courage to leave.
Interestingly, the happiest are also those who will not stick a minute longer with their employer if a better opportunity knocked.
Too Unhappy to Leave
In the annual BrighterMonday Best 100 Companies to Work For, the report shows that the oldest age group is the least happy group but not willing to leave their current employer.
Speaking during the launch of the report, BrighterMonday Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Mutuma revealed that most Kenyans were willing to switch jobs.
He added, “In Kenya, employees are most satisfied when they can relate to a company’s vision, have full transparency with management and have flexibility in the execution of their tasks.”
Mutuma advises that a company is only as good as its staff on any given day and so ensuring that staff are happy and satisfied not only increases a company’s productivity but its reputation as well.
The report shows that many youths are entrepreneurial and felt that mentorship and coaching were integral to their career growth.
This is despite their being considered a flight risk in search of greener pastures.
Another key insight is that the gender pay gap still exists and this is affecting the satisfaction levels amongst women in the workplace, who feel less valued and more likely to switch jobs.
The younger workers’ entrepreneurial spirit could be inspired by the search for diversification of multiple income streams. They also turned to mentorship and coaching since they’re still fresh in the workplace.
Women not valued
On the flip side, 50% of women were happy to leave their current employer because they felt that the workplace is not conducive for them. This is because they don’t feel valued or their employers do not meet their desired traits.
The women could also be leaving for greener pastures in pursuit of their ideals and probably higher salaries
“It is vital for employers to understand that employee satisfaction is a major factor that can help determine the organization’s overall well-being; thus rigorous strategies to ensure, measure, track and improve employee satisfaction should always be held in high regard,” said Mutuma.
Out of the companies surveyed, mobile telecom company Safaricom emerged the best company to work for as well as the most ‘desired’, and ‘respected’ brand.
Read>>> Companies Firing Staff Reflect Kenya’s Crumbling Economy
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