New research has revealed it takes the average employee a massive eight years and four months before they’re seen as ‘part of the furniture’ at their place of work.
The study found that even though 78 per cent of people believe being called a ‘part of the furniture’ at work is a good thing, it takes almost a decade on average to achieve it, with employees feeling at home at work when they’ve stuck at the same job for many years, are ‘always around’ and are helpful in multiple areas. A fifth of employed adults said they’ve been referred to as ‘part of the furniture’ by colleagues due to their loyalty at work and over a third said someone would deserve the term if other colleagues couldn’t imagine the company without them.
Although employee loyalty seems to be on the slide of late, a committed one in ten workers confessed they have stuck with the same company for 20 years or more. A huge 58 per cent said the ‘job for life’ is still practical claiming that being happy at work means there is no need to look elsewhere. Only 15 per cent confessed they tend to get ‘itchy feet’ when they’ve held down the same job role for an extended time.
A spokesman for Furniture At Work, which carried out the study, said: “Skipping from job to job rather than staying in one place is more common than it used to be. But the results show that remaining employed at a place of work for many years is still seen as something to be proud of. Being loyal to a company can have a lot of benefits long-term, as well as looking great on your C.V. And often you become respected enough to have a say in the future of the company.”
It also seems some workers may have taken the expression ‘part of the furniture’ a little too far, with almost two-thirds (63 per cent) saying they sit in the same seat every day whilst a regimented one in ten confessed they’ve had the same seat at work for ten years or more. Over half of the adults polled said they’ve had the same desks since they started the job, whereas others said the chairs, office décor and computer systems haven’t changed.
The spokesman added: “Being comfortable at work is an essential if you want to stay there long-term. Suggesting a change in the office décor, furniture or layout can be a great way of rejuvenating your day-to day routine.”
