How do you feel about going back to work on Monday mornings? Chances are you don't look forward to it. According to a recent survey of 2,000 UK workers for the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development, 47% of people are actively looking for another job or in the process of leaving their current one.

But even if you are not entirely content at work, there are ways of improving your nine to five without resorting to sending out CVs. Brighton-based life and career coach Joanne Mallon has some simple suggestions.

Make a point of doing something new every day – take a different route to work, wear something you wouldn't normally wear or rearrange your desk. Whatever you do, however small, it will have an impact.

Make the most of the resources your company offers – most people don't explore all that they are entitled to. Perhaps your company offers further training you might find interesting or may improve your job prospects.

Check your body language and make it as positive and confident as possible.

If you feel you are being passed over for promotion look around you at the people at work who are more successful – what do they do that you could adapt for yourself?

If you find going to work a bit of a grind and feel that every day is the same, try setting up simple fun things with your colleagues to make life more interesting.

Alison Campbell, 27, a sales manager at Impromptu Publishing in Manchester, said: 'We set up a CD syndicate in the office to give us something to look forward to on Friday. We'd all put some money in and each week buy a new CD – whoever really loved it then got to keep it.

'It was a lovely thing to look forward to at the end of a stressful week. It brought us all together as when we'd made a significant music purchase it was really bonding.'

Olivia Vandyk, 29, who worked in a London accounting firm, said: 'We had competitions for the team who sent in all their timesheets on time - this was where we had to account for our time in six-minute slots.

'The winning team got a drinks trolley with beers and wine on a Friday lunchtime at the end of the month. It made a very boring task much more fun!'

Other offices hold beer and pizza Fridays which allow people who wouldn't normally meet in the course of their day to bond and relax, on-site yoga classes or even bring in someone do to their employees' ironing! It is worth making the effort to get together with colleagues to organise something enjoyable for one lunch-hour or perhaps even an hour on Friday afternoon to give you something to look forward to during the working week.

Manager motivation

Angela Baron, an advisor at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) says one of the most important factors in how people feel about their jobs is their relationship with their line manager.

'A recent CIPD survey found 43% of employees are dissatisfied with the relationship with their manager. It is neglecting these relationships which causes people to feel unhappy in their jobs and often to leave.

'Many companies do not give their managers enough training in managing people, or time and space to do so well. Just because someone is a good sales person does not follow they will be a good sales manager. Companies which help their managers to manage well will have a happier and more productive work force.

'So if you are feeling stuck in a rut at work it is really worth trying to improve your relationship with your frontline manager. Perhaps there is a task you could offer to take on, taking it off their hands – maybe you could ask for training so you could upload information on to the company website, for example. The extra training will also come in useful in your future career – whether you decide to stay or to move on.

'Or you can go down the social route – organise an event – it could just be a night out at the pub or something more structured like a quiz. As well as improving the relationship with your manager social events can also improve inter-colleague relationships – all of which make for a happier atmosphere and in turn – better productivity. Everyone wins!'

If you are dissatisfied at work the most important thing is to take steps to improve it. And if after making a few changes you are still feeling unhappy, maybe it is time to put those CVs in the post after all.

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