by Oscar Duggan
Still, every now and then you read something that confirms your worst suspicions; as well as delivering the consolation of knowing that you are not alone out there. Even if 47% of all statistics are made up on the spot, (No, I made that one up) it can still get you out of a tight spot, to have facts and figures to throw about when arguing a case.
So it is with interest that I recently came across the results of a survey carried out by Opinium Research in the UK. People and Things, it would appear, are the two main causes of workplace irritation. Grumpy colleagues and slow computers top the list, while 'thinking outside the box' was found to be the most hated buzz phrase.
Actually 'thinking outside the box' would appear to have toppled its rival, 'blue sky thinking' from the top spot it held in 2009, when the Internet Advertising Bureau (also in UK):
"surveyed 100 respondents all working within the internet marketing industry, via questionnaires and in-depth interviews, to form a top ten most hated cheesy business phrase list. The survey found that ‘blue sky thinking’ is the most hated phrase throughout businesses in the UK today, whilst clangers such as ‘singing from the same hymn sheet’ and ‘thinking outside the box’ had a high percentage of the vote and were considered highly irritable."Blue Sky Thinking, I must confess is a new one to me. Perhaps it's just a tad too optimistic for people accustomed to the type of weather we get in Ireland, hence we don't use it.
Also, while not confirmed by any of these surveys, it is widely believed that the most loved phrase is telling 'you know who' where to stick it!
All this has got me thinking about how Job Seekers are faring under conditions of mass unemployment. Has not having to turn up to work every day produced a state of blissful nirvana in all of us? Something only dreamed about during the hectic years of the Celtic Tiger? Have we come to accept, that the lack of security that we came to depend upon our jobs for, has at least put is back in control of our lives, how we organise our time etc?
We've put together a short questionnaire to find out what's the biggest irritation among Job Seekers in the current climate. Please help by registering your opinion and telling us how you feel. It's completely confidential. Only the results of the survey will be shared. Participants will not be identified as a result of taking part.
If you want to view the survey in a new window click here.
Results Summary Read the Responses
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