Is your workday a thrill ride or more like a snooze fest? Recent research shows that almost half of working Americans are often bored while on the job.

In fact, according to a Survey conducted by OnePoll for CSU Global– which involved 2,000 employed adults in the U.S.– 46% find themselves just killing time at work for at least three days a week.

Interestingly, 90% of college-educated individuals who experience boredom at work never saw it coming while they were in school. What’s more, many are unaware that they’re not alone in this; 70% assume that their colleagues are mostly satisfied with their work lives.

Surprisingly, though, these stats don’t necessarily point to a broad sense of job unhappiness. Instead, 71% of those surveyed say they’re content with their Current position, while just one in eight confess to feeling dissatisfied.

The survey indicates that the onset of job dissatisfaction usually occurs within the first two years of being in a particular role, affecting 46% of Respondents. Moreover, among those who’ve been in their position for over two years, 71% concur that their job has become monotonous due to the prolonged period of doing the same tasks.

The survey further reveals a direct correlation between job satisfaction and overall happiness in life. A solid 74% of participants think that enjoying your work is a crucial element in achieving happiness.

To stay engaged, many respondents set career objectives. Earning a higher salary emerges as the primary goal for 54%, closely followed by aspirations of climbing the corporate ladder at 53% and the ambition to innovate or create something new at 50%.

When asked about what they actually enjoy in their current roles, the survey found that the top three factors were liking their work location (64%), resonating with the company’s mission (50%), and appreciating the company culture (49%).

Only 35% of respondents actually find joy in the tasks they perform at work, which poses a challenge, especially since 59% believe that loving one’s job is essential for success in that role. Furthermore, a larger portion of those surveyed feel their workplace has an outdated vibe (44%) compared to those who describe it as contemporary (36%), suggesting that some updates might be in order.

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“Investment in employee development can provide positive returns in employee engagement and their ability to contribute,” said Dr. Becky Takeda-Tinker, president at CSU Global.

“With the increasingly fast pace of work and change continuing to challenge employers of all industries, pathways of development that employees are seeking can be valuable tools towards ongoing organizational success.”

Just over half of working Americans envision themselves remaining at their current employer for at least the next year (54%). However, almost one in five of those same respondents doubt they’ll still be with the company five years down the line (17%).

The ball is largely in the court of employers when it comes to employee satisfaction. A significant 76% of respondents feel it’s crucial for companies to invest in their workforce. However, a third of those surveyed don’t believe their current employer is investing enough in them. While employees with over a decade of service at their current company average three promotions, the data suggests that this might not be sufficient.

Participants indicated that they would likely be more engaged if given the chance to spearhead a new process or project at work (48%). Additionally, having tuition assistance for further education appealed to 28% of respondents. In fact, over half believe that having a degree, or an additional one, would boost their odds of getting promoted (53%).

Finally, a substantial 73% would consider going back to school either to advance in their current job or to qualify for a better position.

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