Chefs amongst happiest workers in the UK

Chefs and catering staff are among the happiest workers in the UK, according to the fifth annual City & Guilds Happiness Index.

The research, which was unveiled today and is based on a sample of 1,000 employees across 20 different professions, found that the average chef would give themselves eight out of ten when it came to their level of happiness.

Three out of five caterers are happier than they were a year ago, while more than two-thirds would recommend working in the industry to a friend.

As a profession chefs and catering staff only lagged behind beauty therapists, hairdressers and armed forces personnel when it came to job happiness.

Bob Coates, managing director of City & Guilds said that with the recommendation rate being so high, “the industry is unlikely to suffer recruitment problems in the near future”.

Nearly half of chefs attributed their increased levels of happiness to a better work / life balance, while 57% said they would remain with their current employer because they had a strong interest in what they were doing.

“With a clear impact on the bottom line, improving workplace happiness is moving up the business agenda and employers who ignore the debate risk the rise of an unmotivated and unproductive workforce,” Coates added.

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By Christopher Walton

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