According to a recent report by employment platform Seek, baby boomers in Australia lead the pack in workplace satisfaction, whereas Generation Z finds themselves at the opposite end of the spectrum.

Seek’s latest Workplace Happiness Index indicates that only 57 percent of Australians express contentment with their jobs, while a significant 33 percent dread the thought of going to work.

Baby boomers topped the happiness scale with 73 percent reporting job satisfaction, surpassing millennials at 54 percent and Gen Z at 56 percent.

The study highlights that Australians find the greatest joy in their work location (67 percent satisfied), camaraderie with their colleagues (61 percent), and maintaining a healthy work-life balance (60 percent).

Conversely, dissatisfaction lingers around employer dedication to environmental, social, and governance principles (34 percent satisfied), available career advancement opportunities (37 percent), and compensation (42 percent).

“It’s evident that numerous Australians are grappling with finding purpose in their professional roles,” noted Justine Alter, an organizational psychologist at Transitioning Well.

“The continued focus we’re seeing toward purpose-driven work shows people aren’t just looking for a paycheck – they want to feel their work matters.”

She urged those Australians who dreaded going to work to look for “small ways” to add meaning to their jobs, including mentoring or finding projects that aligned with their interests.

“And remember, sometimes a simple conversation about workload or stress levels may lead to practical solutions you hadn’t considered,” she said.