The first survey of motor trade workers' attitudes has revealed that most are content with their job but that it comes at the expense of a personal life and adequate rewards.

More than 1,000 members responded to the Institite of the Motor Industry's first industry personnel survey, which was designed to identify individual views on the following areas: job security; skills and development training; rewards; work/life balance; and future outlook. The survey found the following results:

• 97% believe that the retail motor industry needs skilled and qualified people to improve public perceptions
• 88% claim that their skills are adequate for the job they do
• 86% have always worked within the motor industry
• 73% say that their performance could improve with the right training
• 72% get a great deal of job satisfaction
• 66% are optimistic about the future success of their employer
• 62% of employers encourage staff development through further training opportunities
• 62% are confident that their job is secure
• 46% feel that they enjoy an acceptable work/life balance
• 38% believe that they receive a competitive rewards package for the industry
• 27% say that they expect to be working in another industry or are unsure where they will be in five years' time

Sarah Sillars, IMI chief executive, said: "This survey gives us a snapshot of how people are feeling at work and clearly there are some areas that we, as an industry, can improve upon. We ask a lot of our people and whilst a healthy number of employers are shown to actively encourage personal development, the majority of individuals feel that they could improve their performance with the right training, which would benefit the business."