Workplace dissatisfaction is high in Belgium, according to figures from a new survey: 77% of the 2,600 respondents have felt frustrated at work and almost one in four (38%) wanting to resign.
The survey, conducted by digital health insurer Alan, also found that 61% of Belgian respondents find it hard to talk to their HR manager about their mental health.
"It turns out that flexible work also has disadvantages," Dirk Buyens, professor at the Vlerick Business School, told De Morgen about these numbers. "It gives a better work-life balance, but it does not necessarily make working more pleasant. Social contact diminishes. Either you work by yourself at home, or at the office where there is only a limited group of colleagues."
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The insurer also conducted the survey in France and Spain, where a higher amount of people are considering resigning (43% in France and 39% in Spain), but overall levels of frustration are lower in both countries compared to Belgium.
"It is customary in our country to stay with the same employer for a long time," Buyens told De Morgen. "Being more senior in a job pays off. Even if people are no longer happy in their work, they decide to stay put when they calculate the financial gain."
