Friendly colleagues rather than money make people happy at work

It is mates rather than money that make people happy at work, according to a survey.

Three-quarters (73%) of the 1,060 UK employees questioned by Chiumento HR consultancy cited good relationships with colleagues as the main reason for enjoying work. Less than half (48%) cited financial rewards.

Only one-quarter of workers said they were "very happy" in their jobs, and one in five described themselves as unhappy.

The Chiumento Happiness Index, published today, also found that employees working for smaller businesses were more likely to be happy than those who work for larger organisations.

Some 86% of employees who work for companies with between 20 and 100 staff feel happy, compared with 78% of those who work in organisations with more than 1,000 staff.

Women were also found to be happier at work than men, with eight in 10 (82%) claiming to be happy in their jobs compared with 78% of men.

Sarah Chiumento, chief executive, said: "Organisations might question the relevance of employee happiness, but a happy employee is likely to be more productive and perform better than an unhappy employee. Simple ways to boost happiness include treating staff fairly, ensuring communication is good and fostering a positive atmosphere in the workplace. The benefit to business is that employees will be likely to participate positively and contribute more."

Top eight factors that make us happy at work

1. Friendly, supportive colleagues
2. Enjoyable work
3. Good boss or line manager
4. Good work-life balance
5. Varied work
6. Belief that we are doing something worthwhile
7. Feeling that what we do makes a difference
8. Being part of a successful team

Top eight factors that make us unhappy at work

1. Lack of communication from the top
2. Uncompetitive salary
3. No recognition for achievements
4. Poor boss/line manager
5. Little personal development
6. Ideas being ignored
7. Lack of opportunity for good performers
8. Lack of benefits