Quiet quitting in UK: job satisfaction hits record low, study finds

Fewer workers in Britain are willing to go the extra mile for their employers, and job satisfaction has fallen to a record low, according to research released on Monday, 2 November 2026 by the Resolution Foundation, a think tank that studies living standards. Using British Social Attitudes survey data, it found that the share of workers willing to work harder than required to help their employer succeed fell from 69% in 2015 to 55% in 2025. The think tank calls the trend a "dissatisfaction drain"; it has been widely discussed as "quiet quitting", the idea of doing only what a job strictly requires.

The findings describe a change in how people feel about work, not just about pay. Workers say they care more about income than before, but very few believe their job pays well. They also find their work less interesting and are less satisfied with it. Put together, that helps explain why fewer people are willing to put in extra effort: the reward for that effort feels smaller.

The gender finding is striking. The share of working-age adults who want full-time work fell by ten percentage points over the decade, and the think tank says the whole of that fall comes from men. Women's preference for full-time work did not drop in the same way. That challenges a common assumption that women are the ones pulling back from full-time jobs to balance work and family. It also suggests that flexibility and reduced hours are becoming a priority for men too, which may change how families share paid work and care.

Slaughter's view is that if employers want workers to be fully engaged, jobs increasingly need to be both financially rewarding and flexible in their hours. Workplaces that offer real flexibility to everyone, men included, can also make it easier for couples to share responsibilities at home.

The think tank adds an important caution: Britain's labour market problems cannot simply be explained by workers' attitudes. Stagnant living standards and other economic forces also play a part. Readers in India and elsewhere should also note that this is British data; similar surveys would be needed to know whether the same pattern holds in other countries.

Peepals calculation: The share of workers willing to work harder than required fell by 14 percentage points (69 − 55 = 14), about a fifth of its 2015 level (14 ÷ 69 ≈ 0.20). The gap between those who say high income matters (78%) and those who say their job provides it (23%) is 55 points (78 − 23 = 55). Our calculation from the reported figures.

Short-term: The figures add to pressure on British employers to look at pay, interest in the work and flexible hours as ways to keep staff engaged.

Long-term: If engagement keeps falling, the think tank warns of weaker productivity and labour supply, which are needed to raise living standards. A growing wish among men for less than full-time work could gradually change how couples divide paid work and caring.

Who is affected: Workers and employers in Britain, especially in jobs seen as low-paid or dull; women and men weighing full-time against flexible work; and policymakers trying to lift productivity.

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