Workers in the UK are becoming increasingly unhappy in their job amid continuing job losses and “few and far between” pay rises, according to a report released yesterday.

A survey of 1,000 workers by recruitment firm Badenoch & Clark showed that only a third were happy in their current job, while one in four said they were “distinctly unhappy”.

The firm’s Happiness at Work Index showed that employee happiness has steadily fallen this year, with only just over a third saying their morale was high.

Nicola Linkleter, managing director of Badenoch & Clark, said: “With work cited as a top five concern for UK citizens, workplace morale must be addressed as a critical business issue.

“The fluctuation in workplace happiness over this year can be attributed to a number of factors, including longer hours, increased financial strain at work and home, and reticence from senior management to invest in additional talent.

Coupled with a lack of tangible job security, happiness at work is remarkably low, and must be dealt with as a priority issue.

“Organisations must now take action to create a working environment where employees are able to develop a sense that their work is both valuable and valued. Failure to do so may result in loss of talent, which in turn may lead to loss of potential revenue.”