If you’re already feeling the new year job blues, you’re not alone.

A survey of 2,000 people found one in five was already job hunting, mainly because of unhappiness over pay, promotion prospects and heavy workloads.

The Investors in People poll found a third of workers were miserable in their jobs, blaming this on poor management and not feeling valued.

Many went on to say a pay rise would not compensate for having a bad manager or being undervalued.

A third of those questioned said they would prefer more flexible working hours to a pay rise, while one in four wanted their employer to invest more in training and staff development. Paul Devoy, head of Investors in People, said: “Improved salaries in recent months means pay is less of a gripe, but longstanding issues around poor management and how valued people feel still make UK workers miserable.”

“If employers addressed these factors, they would have a more committed workforce and far fewer resources tied up in constant recruitment .

“As the economy improves, many employers run the risk of losing their valuable, skilled staff.”

Many of those surveyed said a simple “thank you” from their boss would make them happier at work.