For some happy individuals, work can be an exciting thing they look forward to every day. For the rest of us mortals, though, it might feel more like torture. If you belong to the latter group, don’t worry—you’re definitely not alone. A 2021 survey has revealed that half of people in the US despise their jobs. 

The main reasons for that are that people feel underpaid and underappreciated. Time is the most valuable thing we have, and considering that we spend an average of one third of our lives at work, it only makes sense to expect proper compensation.

When it comes to working hours, people in some countries tend to work longer than others. According to 2021 data, India (working 2117 hours a year) is the leading country in the amount people spend at their jobs, followed by the US (1757 hours a year), and Japan (1738 hours). The fourth and fifth places are taken by the UK (1670 hours) and Germany (1354 hours) respectively.

Unsurprisingly, none of the five countries make it to the list of places with the happiest workers. If your job conditions don’t suit you well, you might want to consider moving to Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, or Denmark. Data shows that these northern and Scandinavian countries seem to be the best places to work, considering working hours, salaries, and the number of public holidays.

Being unhappy at work might lead to leaving the source of misery altogether. A recent survey revealed that a mind-boggling number of over 90% of respondents are looking for a new job in 2023. Back in 2022, some of the main reasons for leaving were toxic company culture (62%), unmet financial expectations (59%), and inadequate management (56%).

Incompetent management plays an important role in employee dissatisfaction. Nearly 60% of them have admitted to quitting a job because of their superior. You might have heard about an unqualified boss or two in your own environment. Or maybe even had to deal with one yourself, which might have led you to believe you would be able to do their job. As a matter of fact, that’s what 84% of workers in the US think.

But it’s not only the superiors that cause headaches at work. Colleagues can also become a pain, which is unfortunate considering that you’re rowing the same boat. Whether it’s that lady in marketing that just wouldn’t get off of her phone, the young guy slurping his coffee, or someone else, each of us has likely had an annoying co-worker at some point in life. Statistics uncovered that nearly 70% of people have confronted a fellow employee about certain behavior. In addition to that, roughly 60% have thought about quitting because of them.

Quitting might not always be the answer, though. There is always a chance of things going from bad to worse, as the new company might not be any better. Over 40% of people believe they were more content at their old place of employment. 

If you don’t feel happy at work, it’s worth thinking long and hard before making any decisions. Chances are, the source of work-related gloom is not the company at all. It might be the professional path you once decided to take, which is a pretty common problem—more than 70% of workers admit to being unhappy with their career choices.

Some people stay despite hating their jobs. That is understandable considering that the labor market is constantly fluctuating, and finding a new one can become quite a quest. The size of the competition alone can be enough to scare away the thoughts of a new workplace. For instance, a vacancy for a corporate job usually attracts around 250 applicants. When there’s only one job offer, such odds don’t seem too encouraging.

There are employees who detest their job so much, they might wish they didn’t have one. However, such people would likely feel very different if they suddenly became unemployed. According to Zippia, 17 million workers were laid off in the US alone back in 2021. 

This might be one of the reasons nearly half of Americans have layoff anxiety. But they say that every cloud has a silver lining. As cheesy as it sounds, it is true—even something as grim as being laid off can open new doors.

Whether it’s the silver lining to a layoff story or a personal choice to start a new chapter, some people create a job of their dreams themselves. Data shows that one of the main reasons they start a small business is the ability to be their own boss (roughly 61% of respondents say so). Nearly a third of them do it to pursue their passion. And such a decision seems to pay off—nearly 75% of small business owners report being happy.

A job is a double-edged sword in many ways. It might be a source of income as well as stress. A place to meet inspiring people and test your patience with the rest. An opportunity to learn from the best or watch them fail the test. It’s up to each individual to decide how to deal with a job they hate, but they can find comfort in knowing they’re not alone in this situation. And these posts surely prove it.