More than a half of respondents claimed that the primary reason for their resignation was the fact that they “can’t stand” their co-workers and/or employers. Only about 20% of them actually pointed to their career outlook or salary as the main factor leading to their resignation.

Career FAQs also noticed that among people, who downloaded one of the resignation letter templates available on the website and were asked to select the main factor for their departure, the vast majority would indicate that their colleagues had influenced the decision.

Will Santow, Career FAQs Managing Director, said: “Our audience is telling us that the traditional ‘soft’ or people skills in management are more important than ever. From the employee’s perspective, it’s about feeling like you’re valued for the work you do, and that you’re an important member of the team.”

He claims that the poll’s verdict is a symptom of a common tendency for companies to ignore staff cohesiveness and the so-called “cultural fit” when looking for a candidate to join the team. Those findings also emphasise the necessity of management to develop proactively a positive work culture for all the employees.

“In turn, that comes down to management practising good people skills, listening to staff feedback, and being in tune with and responding to the mood of the workplace. After all, finding and replacing unhappy staff is both tough on the individuals concerned and disruptive and costly for the organisation,” said Santow.

It's a striking figure, but over 5000 Australians downloaded one of Career FAQs’ free sample resumes, resignation letters or cover letters in 2014 alone, a number that suggests that even in the present, highly challenging market, unhappy workers are prepared to hold themselves back, only to find a better job or simply a positive work place.

By 2005, Career FAQs has become the leading publisher of 45 varied career guides that answered the requirements for quality Australian career and educational resources. Today an entirely online operation, with content posted every day, the Career FAQs website
counts circa 400,000 visitors per month, and features over 600 nationally recognised, accredited online universities and TAFE courses, featuring up-to-date career news, as well as tips for anyone and everyone interested in their career.

For further information, contact:
Andrea Riddell
Marketing Manager, Career FAQs
andrea.riddell@careerfaqs.com.au