If you’ve been feeling a bit overworked lately or getting the Sunday Scaries before Sunday even shows up, you’re definitely not alone.

A new Workplace Happiness Index study from Seek surveyed more than 1,500 Kiwi workers this year, and the results paint a pretty good picture of how we're all doing on the job at the moment.  

Overall, a solid 64 per cent of us say we’re happy at work, which is a small but welcome lift from last year.

Generationally, Gen X is the happiest bunch at work, with 69 per cent content in their jobs, and Millennials sitting close behind at 62 per cent.

Despite Gen Z making a slight increase this year, climbing from 45 to 58 per cent, they are still the most likely to dread going to work and the most likely to feel exhausted or burnt out. Only half of the Gen Zs surveyed said they felt valued at work. 

'Purpose' tops the list of what keeps us happy at work. We want our jobs to matter, not just fill our inbox. Day-to-day responsibilities come next, and managers have made a major leap into the top three influences on workplace happiness.

The catch is that only 56 per cent of workers are happy with their manager, so there is definitely still some mahi to be done on the leadership front.

Job security has become more important, too, but confidence is slipping. Only 54 per cent of people feel secure in their role, which is a noticeable drop from last year.

Despite all that, most Kiwis still feel good about the basics. We like where we work, and we like who we work with. However, on the flip side, career progression continues to rank at the bottom, with just 37 per cent happy with their progress, followed closely by salary satisfaction.

Interestingly, salary is now far less influential on long-term happiness. It has fallen from fourth to thirteenth place, which suggests that while pay still matters when you are hunting for a new job, it is not the thing that keeps you happy long term.

Now, if this confirms one thing, it's that most workplaces do not need another sausage sizzle or pizza party. We’re just after support, purpose, and solid managers who care about their people.

And if this is sounding a little too relatable, take this as a friendly reminder that you deserve a workplace where you're thriving, not just surviving.