‘Thank you’ – words bus drivers hear 37 times a day (Picture: Getty)

Bus and coach drivers are the most thanked workers in the country, getting as many as 37 thank yous a day.

They are thanked roughly five times more than any other profession, with drivers saying it is one of the best things about their job.

Some 40% of them are thanked more than 50 times a day, which an overwhelming majority said positively impacts their wellbeing.

Drivers in the Midlands and East of England get the most thank yous of any region, while those in London unsurprisingly receive the least.

The findings from the Confederation of Passenger Transport come as thousands of bus drivers suspended a planned strike ‘as a gesture of goodwill’ after receiving a new pay offer.

On the other end of the scale, a quarter of UK workers say they don’t get any thank yous whatsoever.

This is despite 77% of them saying it is beneficial to their happiness, as the survey revealed feeling unappreciated is one of the biggest issues for employees, second only to salary.

Healthcare, retail and logistic workers were the most likely to feel unappreciated in their jobs, with only one per cent of medical professionals saying they receive the same level of thanks as bus drivers.

London bus drivers are the least likely to be thanked (Picture: Bloomberg/Getty)

Dr Ashley Weinberg, senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Salford, said: ‘Hopefully we all know that it’s important to share gratitude as a genuine form of exchange with others in our social worlds.

‘For all of us in paid or unpaid work, someone saying “thank you” helps us to feel valued and naturally this is hugely important for our mental well-being.’

The survey also went on to say that one in ten bus drivers ‘fulfilled their childhood dream’ after joining the profession, but almost a quarter entered the industry after losing their previous job.

Despite this, more than half of drivers feel their work was rewarding due to the high level of appreciation.

Graham Vidler, Chief Executive of the Confederation of Passenger Transport, said: ‘Our research has shown that being thanked and appreciated is crucial to the wellbeing of the UK’s workers. It’s really pleasing that bus and coach drivers are reporting such a high level of thanks.’

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They are the most thanked workers in the country, with some even being shown gratitude more than 50 times a day.