Job satisfaction among UK workers has fallen to its lowest level since the question was first asked in 1989, according to a Resolution Foundation analysis of the British Social Attitudes survey. Satisfaction fell from 81% in 2015 to 74%, and the proportion of workers who said they would work harder than required to help their employer succeed fell from 69% to 55% over the same period. The thinktank links the decline to frustration over pay, a lack of flexible working, insecure jobs and a loss of independence.
The study, based on the 2025 British Social Attitudes survey, found the fall in satisfaction translated into British workers being less willing to go "above and beyond for their employers than they were a decade ago".
The foundation said its analysis would give policymakers an insight into how they could reverse decades of slowing productivity growth, low levels of job mobility and high economic inactivity among some groups, most notably younger people.
Fewer workers said they had an interesting job or one that offered the chance of advancement: the proportion saying they have an interesting job fell from 74% to 63% over the decade. Only 4% of workers said there was "little intrinsic value" from working, a figure that has remained flat over time. What has declined, the thinktank said, was the number of people feeling positive about the jobs they do.
Hannah Slaughter, an economist at the foundation and co-author of the report, said there had been a rise in the number of workers reporting low pay, and that the concern spanned all pay scales. She said decades of low pay rises and the spiralling cost of living were affecting the outlook of all groups, though demand for greater flexibility was equally pronounced.
"Workers increasingly want jobs that provide flexibility, independence and financial security. But many feel those expectations are not being met," Slaughter said. "The result is rising frustration among workers, who report lower job satisfaction, declining willingness to go above and beyond, and a reduced appetite for full-time work. This 'dissatisfaction drain' is self-evidently bad for workers, but it also doesn't bode well for productivity and labour supply, both of which are vital for lifting living standards in the years ahead."
Separate Ipsos polling dating back to the 1980s supported the foundation's findings, with workers reporting much lower satisfaction this year than when the same question was asked in 1976 and 1986. In 1976 Ipsos found 83% were very or fairly satisfied with their work, compared with 69% in 2026.
John Curtice, the Strathclyde professor and pollster who is co-editor of the British Social Attitudes report, said the findings showed young people had not become more work-shy, "nor have workers in general become more reluctant to change jobs. But if workers are to be fully engaged in their work, it has seemingly become more important for employers to provide jobs that are both financial rewarding and have flexible work hours."
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Satisfaction at 74% is the lowest the British Social Attitudes survey has recorded since the question was first asked in 1989, and the fall is accompanied by a 14-point drop in willingness to work harder than required.
- The Resolution Foundation ties the trend to productivity and labour supply, both of which it calls vital for lifting living standards, and to low job mobility and high economic inactivity among younger people.
- Employers face pressure on pay, flexibility and independence simultaneously, according to the thinktank, rather than on any single issue.
Background
Job satisfaction and worker engagement are closely watched by economists because they are associated with productivity, staff retention and willingness to change jobs. The British Social Attitudes survey is one of Britain's longest-running measures of public opinion, and the Resolution Foundation regularly uses its data to examine living standards and the labour market. Ipsos has asked a comparable satisfaction question since the 1970s, allowing comparisons across five decades.
Key Perspectives
Hannah Slaughter, Resolution Foundation: says workers increasingly want flexibility, independence and financial security but feel those expectations are unmet, producing rising frustration that is bad for workers and does not bode well for productivity or labour supply.
John Curtice, co-editor of the British Social Attitudes report: says the findings show young people have not become more work-shy and workers are not more reluctant to change jobs, but that financial reward and flexible hours have become more important for full engagement.
What to Watch
- Whether subsequent British Social Attitudes surveys confirm the decline or show satisfaction stabilising.
- Whether the pay and flexibility concerns the report identifies translate into measurable changes in job mobility or full-time work rates.
- How policymakers respond to the foundation's framing of satisfaction as a productivity and labour supply issue.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedUK job satisfaction has fallen to its lowest level on record, according to a study.Business | The Guardian: “Job satisfaction among UK workers has dropped to a record low, according to a study”
- SupportedJob satisfaction fell from 81% in 2015 to 74%.Business | The Guardian: “Job satisfaction fell from 81% in 2015 to 74%”
- SupportedThe share of workers willing to work harder than required to help their employer succeed fell from 69% in 2015 to 55% in 2025.Business | The Guardian: “The proportion of workers who said they would work harder than required to help their employer succeed fell from 69% in 2015 to 55% in 2025.”
- SupportedThe 74% figure is the lowest recorded in the British Social Attitudes survey since the question was first asked in 1989.Business | The Guardian: “the lowest figure recorded in the British Social Attitudes survey since 1989, when the question was first asked.”
- SupportedThe thinktank links the decline to frustration over pay, a lack of flexible working, insecure jobs and a loss of independence.Business | The Guardian: “a growing frustration with employers over pay and flexible working. Analysis by the Resolution Foundation thinktank shows that a lack of flexible working, insecure jobs and a loss of independence have undermined how workers feel about their employment.”
- SupportedThe proportion of workers saying they have an interesting job fell from 74% to 63% over the decade.Business | The Guardian: “The proportion saying they have an interesting job fell over the decade from 74% to 63%.”
- SupportedOnly 4% of workers said there was little intrinsic value from working, and the figure remained flat over time.Business | The Guardian: “Only 4% of workers said there was “little intrinsic value” from working – a figure that has remained flat over time.”
- SupportedHannah Slaughter said more workers reported low pay and the concern spanned all pay scales.Business | The Guardian: “Hannah Slaughter, an economist at the foundation and co-author of the report, said there was a rise in the number of workers who said they suffered from low pay and this concern spanned all the pay scales.”
- SupportedSlaughter said workers increasingly want jobs offering flexibility, independence and financial security, but many feel those expectations are not being met.Business | The Guardian: ““Workers increasingly want jobs that provide flexibility, independence and financial security. But many feel those expectations are not being met,” said Slaughter.”
- SupportedSlaughter called the consequences a “dissatisfaction drain” and said they did not bode well for productivity and labour supply.Business | The Guardian: ““The result is rising frustration among workers, who report lower job satisfaction, declining willingness to go above and beyond, and a reduced appetite for full-time work. This ‘dissatisfaction drain’ is self-evidently bad for workers, but it also doesn’t bode well for productivity and labour supply, both of which are vital for lifting living standards in the years ahead.””
- SupportedIpsos found 83% were very or fairly satisfied with their work in 1976, compared with 69% in 2026.Business | The Guardian: “In 1976 it found 83% were very or fairly satisfied with their work compared with 69% in 2026.”
- SupportedJohn Curtice said young people had not become more work-shy and workers had not become more reluctant to change jobs, and said financial rewards and flexible hours had seemingly become more important for engaging workers.Business | The Guardian: ““nor have workers in general become more reluctant to change jobs. But if workers are to be fully engaged in their work, it has seemingly become more important for employers to provide jobs that are both financial rewarding and have flexible work hours.””