Businesses must do more to keep their workers happy, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has warned, after a new report suggested almost a quarter of the UK’s employees are ‘not satisfied’ at work.

The ‘What workers want’ survey, by YouGov, found one in three workers ‘do not feel engaged’ by their employer.

Almost half of workers said an increased workload was their main problem, while more than 40% said their pay does ‘not keep up with the cost of living’.

More than 20% said increased working hours were affecting them, while almost a third said they had ‘poor promotion prospects’.

Bullying was also a major problem, with 14% saying they have been affected by it, while just under two and a half million workers say their place of work is unsafe. Nearly six million said their work is ‘boring or repetitive’.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said the figures are ‘challenging’ for employers.

“While most employees are reasonably content with their lot, there is clearly a minority who are suffering from real problems such as bullying and dangerous workplaces,” he said.

“There may be no magic bullet for improving Britain’s productivity, but without engaging staff and providing the training and advancement opportunities they want, we do not have much chance.”

© Crimson Business Ltd. 2008