Around 70% of workers describe their jobs as a source of personal fulfilment, according to a survey from The Work Foundation.

It found that 78% of people found their work stimulating and challenging, and that just 9% of employers branded their jobs as meaningless.

Will Hutton, chief executive of The Work Foundation, says: “Employers and organisations are going to have to think much harder about the jobs they offer. The wage still matters, but there are crucially important psychological, social and personal dividends from work, too. It is about money and meaning.”

The report found that women are more likely to be satisfied with their job than men, the over-55s are more likely to be satisfied compared with younger workers, and that managers and professionals are more likely yo be satisfied compared with other occupational groups.