All employees dream of hitting it big in the lottery, quitting their job and never working again. Or do they?

More than one-half (51 percent) of workers say they would continue working, even if they didn't need to financially, according to a CareerBuilder study. Thirty percent of all workers say they would keep their current job.

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The most common reasons for staying on the job are:

  • I would be bored if I didn't work — 77 percent;
  • Work gives me a sense of purpose and accomplishment — 76 percent;
  • I want financial security aside from the financial winnings — 42 percent;
  • I would miss co-workers — 23 percent.

The 49 percent who would take the money and run say they would:

  • Give two weeks' notice or give my employer more time if they needed it to find a replacement (48 percent;
  • Give two weeks' notice and leave after two weeks — 31 percent;
  • Resign that day without giving notice — 13 percent;
  • Tell off the boss and air all grievances — 3 percent;
  • Not show up to work the next morning without formally quitting — 2 percent.

The study also found that only 15 percent of workers report they are currently working in their dream job, and another 36 percent say that while they're not quite there yet, they believe they will be someday.

The national survey, which was conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of CareerBuilder from May 13 to June 6, 2014, included a representative sample of 3,372 workers across industries and company sizes.

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Alan Goforth

Alan Goforth is a freelance writer in suburban Kansas City. In addition to freelancing for several publications, he has written a dozen books about sports and other topics.