CHINA - 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 per cent feel they are not being used to their full potential.

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