Mid-level workers 'unhappy' due to lack of power, career-life balance

Middle managers are feeling blue in Beijing due to a lack of trust and power given to them by bosses, suggests a poll released on Tuesday.

Almost half of 1,000 workers surveyed at Chinese and foreign-owned firms complained that they are not happy in their jobs, despite decent salaries and social status.

"The modern enterprise is still in its infancy in Beijing and most employers still can't provide professional working environments for managers," said professor Xing Wenxiang at Central University of Finance and Economics, which conducted the study.

Bosses, especially those in private enterprises, cannot give enough power to frontline and mid-level managers, which limits their ability and leads to unhappiness, he said.

"Being a professional manager is a creative job and they want to be independent, but in some enterprises they need to take orders from bosses, even about working times," said Xing, whose survey shows that 38.1 percent feel they are not being used to their full potential.

Modern-day pressures are also playing a major role. About 30 percent said they are not healthy enough, while more than half complained of stress.

Most said they have problems balancing family with careers. Women have it worse, the survey suggests, with 30 percent still single.

"Women like me are disadvantaged; we're not as strong as they stereotype (career woman)," said Lily Li, marketing director for Domob.Lmt, a platform for smart phone advertisements.

The 32-year-old singleton said she has a trusting relationship with her boss, but admitted: "My sense of happiness is contrary to my salary. I earn about 300,000 yuan a year, but the higher salary means I spend more time at work."

Li said she has suffered from insomnia and anxiety due to life and work pressures, although she proudly added that she recently quit her favorite stress-buster: smoking.

The poll was carried out between August and December 2010, with questionnaires sent to Beijing-based enterprises in a variety of industries, including agriculture, energy and service.

More than 90 percent of respondents were aged 31 to 50, with the vast majority working at State-owned and State-held enterprises.

China Daily

(China Daily 06/08/2011)