A new survey says more than a third of workers dread going into work as "negativity and a poisonous atmosphere" are affecting Irish workplaces.

Over half of the working population stated in a One4All survey of 1,000 adults that a positive work environment is more important than financial rewards.

However, when asked, 40 per-cent of managers said they didn't care if staff were burned out.

According to the figures, over a third of staff think companies don't care if their workforce is sick or healthy - so long as they turn up for work.

The One4all survey also revealed that workers are divided on deals and sweeteners - with half of the working population stating they can be "wooed by monetary rewards and will leave their current role for better compensation and benefits".

But 53% said they would be more satisfied with a positive work culture than high financial rewards.

Researchers said traditional reward systems aren't working like they used to with some companies ahead of the curve offering frequent rewards as opposed to an end of year bonus.

A spokeswoman said: "Big, bold rewards don't matter to staff as much as regular, moderate rewards. Some 76% of staff would prefer to be rewarded for great work more frequently than a traditional once a year review bonus.

"This finding indicates that it may be time to overhaul the concept of the annual performance review. Some companies have already started to do this, including Accenture and Adobe. Rather than an annual review, these companies are in favour of more fluid systems to capture and provide feedback on an ongoing basis."