Older employees are happiest at work, according to survey commissioned by Vodafone.
The Working Nation report, conducted across 3,842 people, revealed that seven out of 10 employees over the age of 50 felt fulfilled compared to 50% of respondents aged between 25 and 31.

97% of staff working beyond 65 said that they feel enabled in their work compared to just 61% of 31 to 35 year olds.

In fact, older participants described a greater degree of harmony between their work lives and the rest of their life. They also expressed an increased sense of control over their work lives and said they are able to work 'smarter'.

People in their thirties expressed the most negative feelings about work.

This age group is described as having a 'work-life malaise' with 59% saying that they feel undervalued, 49% feeling unfulfilled and 43% de-motivated.

The pressures and squeeze on time as a result of starting a family and a feeling of burnout after the first ten to fifteen years of striving in a career are all considered contributing factors to such negativity in this age group.

It is also suggested that this age group has unrealistic achievement timelines, leading to a feeling of disillusionment when it is unable to 'compress its route to success'.

Employers are encouraged by the report to manage and shape the expectations of workers in this bracket according to reality, but without curbing their ambition or enthusiasm.