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UK workers’ job satisfaction hits its lowest level since 1989
Job satisfaction among UK workers fell to a record low in 2025, with growing frustration over pay, flexibility, job security and independence. The Resolution Foundation says workers are less willing to put in extra effort, a trend that could weigh on productivity and labour supply.
The British Social Attitudes survey found satisfaction fell from 81% in 2015 to 74% in 2025, its lowest level since records began in 1989. The share willing to work harder than required to help their employer dropped from 69% to 55%, while those who found their job interesting fell from 74% to 63%. Separate Ipsos polling found 69% were satisfied in 2026, compared with 83% in 1976.
In short
- UK job satisfaction fell to 74%, its lowest level since 1989.
- Fewer workers are willing to go beyond their required duties.
- Pay, flexibility and security are central to growing frustration.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Falling satisfaction and willingness to go beyond required duties may signal that pay, flexibility, security and autonomy have not kept pace with workers’ expectations. Improving those conditions could support wellbeing and help employers retain staff and sustain productivity over time.
The case against
Survey results show a broad decline, but they do not by themselves establish its causes or prove that lower satisfaction will reduce productivity or labour supply. Employers may also argue that meeting every preference is constrained by costs and operational needs, and that productivity depends on factors beyond workers’ willingness to exert extra effort.
Explained simply
Job satisfaction describes how workers feel about their jobs, including their pay, security, flexibility and control over their work. The British Social Attitudes survey has tracked these views since 1989, while separate polling by Ipsos provides a longer comparison.
The Resolution Foundation is a research organisation that studies living standards and the economy. It says lower satisfaction may affect how willing people are to put in extra effort or remain in work, which could matter for the number of workers available and how much the economy produces.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “UK job satisfaction at record low amid rising frustration over pay and flexible working”.