New figures suggest internal communicators have their work cut out when it comes to keeping employees engaged.

According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), job satisfaction has plummeted among UK workers despite GDP figures that mark an end to the recession.

The latest quarterly Employee Outlook survey of more than 2,000 employees has revealed that job satisfaction has fallen to 35, down from 48 last summer. The figure is the difference between the percentage of employees agreeing with statements in the survey, minus the percentage disagreeing.

Younger workers are particularly unhappy, with job satisfaction among 18- to 24-year-olds falling to just 5 from 44 in summer 2009.

“Even though the economy is no longer flat on its back, the real economy as experienced in the day-to-day lives of workers is crippled,” said the CIPD’s Claire McCartney.