Job satisfaction hits all-time low as men drive decline in full-time work preference
New BSA 2025 data reveals job satisfaction at record lows. Men are driving a sharp drop in the desire for full-time employment, signaling a major workforce s...
POLICY WIRE — London, UK — Job satisfaction among British workers has descended to the lowest level ever recorded by major social surveys, marking a significant downturn in workforce morale.
Concurrently, the number of adults preferring full-time roles has plunged, a trend recently attributed exclusively to male demographics.
For the first time in a decade, fewer than half of working-age citizens now consider a full schedule their ideal working arrangement.
Data from the 2025 British Social Attitudes survey, which included responses from 4,656 individuals aged 16 and older, highlights this widening gap.
The share of adults wishing to work full-time declined from 57% in 2015 to just 47% in 2025.
This shift in preference occurred even as the actual percentage of people holding full-time positions increased from 57% to 60% over the same ten-year span.
Researchers note that the reluctance to seek full-time hours is entirely driven by men, who increasingly opt for reduced schedules.
Willingness to exert extra effort beyond job requirements to aid employer success has also bottomed out at its lowest point in the last ten years.
The findings suggest a growing disconnect between employee expectations and what employers currently offer in the labor market.
Additionally, the survey indicates that many workers remain anxious about the potential of technology to displace human jobs.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
