One of the most popular new year's resolutions revolves around the desire to pursue that dream career move we've always talked about.

With this in mind, specialists at SavoyStewart.co.uk sought to uncover the sector with the most satisfied professionals to help steer us in the right direction!

By surveying 4,000 professionals from 20 different sectors on a range of aspects and creating a points-based index, they can reveal which sectors are the most satisfied.

Which sectors are the most satisfied?

Childcare tops the list as the sector with the most satisfied professionals with 239 points overall. The sector scored the most points for positive impact on others (99), indicating nannies and childminders are most happy with how their job affects people's lives. Although only behind Finance/Banking (90 points) when it comes to satisfaction with employee empowerment (86 points), childcare professionals scored the lowest (-76) for personal remuneration, followed by Education (-75 points).

Finance & Banking comes in second place with 232 points. It seems that these professionals feel valued by their employers as satisfaction for employee empowerment (90) was the highest of all sectors! The few negative points (-2) taken for personal remuneration makes Finance/Banking the most satisfied with their salaries, but despite this, the sector ranked third worst for mental health (-78), right behind Health Care and Education.

Last on the list is Hospitality (83 points), revealed as the least satisfied job sector. With the lowest points for career prospects (42) of all sectors, it seems that the professionals from this industry don't see many opportunities to progress in their careers. The numerous negative points that were taken for mental health (-52) and personal remuneration (-75) also show that they are not completely satisfied in the industry.

Mental health and toxic culture - which sector is the most negatively affected?

SavoyStewart.co.uk found Health Care and Education sectors were the least satisfied when it comes to the mental health of employees, with an alarming -92 and -82 points respectively. When it comes to toxic cultures, Marketing & Digital Media (-54) and Technology (-44) were the most unsatisfied sectors.

With this in mind, SavoyStewart.co.uk spoke to Lee Chambers, Psychologist and Wellbeing Consultant, to get a better understanding of how to ensure job satisfaction:

"While our work is important, nothing is more important than our health and long-term happiness. For that reason, healthy boundaries are vital and reduce the impact that work has on other areas of your life. Starting to look for a positive work environment will fuel you by showing it's possible to have a balanced life, and you are boosted by the fact you are taking action.

When it comes to a toxic workplace, these are the tips I suggest to my clients: Stay focused on the important goals, and distance yourself from the gossip and blaming. By not participating, you are not adding your fuel to the fire."

Fair remuneration versus happiness at work - 

The positive overall job satisfaction in sectors like Childcare and Public Security showed that remuneration is not always the main factor for job satisfaction. For that reason, SavoyStewart.co.uk asked Lee Chambers about the dilemma between job satisfaction and salary:

"It's a fine balance and it's important to consider how your life would benefit from the additional income, and that it might be a nice job but no job is ever secure, and things are always evolving.

Suppose the pay situation is a significant issue. In that case, it's time to consider addressing this with your current employer, ensuring you can articulate your value, and that you are still growing and developing. You can consider moving elsewhere, or additional ways to make the income you need from your skills. As the studies have shown, purpose and meaning trump money when it comes to employment, as long as you are earning enough to keep your financial wellbeing in a stable place."