British workers are growing increasingly skeptical about their prospects for future earnings, and new research suggests they’re shifting focus to prioritize flexibility and work-life balance instead. Conducted by Bruce Daisley, former Twitter Vice President (EMEA) and now an honorary professor at Bayes Business School, along with the research studio Early Studies, the study sheds light on changing work expectations among 450 British employees.
“More and more, workers doubt that hard work alone will help them reach their life goals,” say the researchers. “They’re turning instead to roles that give them more of what they value now—flexibility and a healthy work-life balance.”
Think again
Employers should think carefully before reducing these elements of flexibility. Key findings from the research show a wave of pessimism among younger workers about the value of work in their lives. While 58% of those under 30 believe work will provide financial security, a full third disagree—a much more skeptical view than that held by older generations who started their careers in a different climate. Most young people expect job security to decline further, too.
Flexibility tops the wish list of British workers, particularly women, and many say employers often underestimate how crucial flexibility and balance are for them. The study also suggests that work’s social value is fading, with just 32% of respondents finding social connection or friendships through work.
Currently, work-life balance holds the top spot in job satisfaction for most workers, though salary levels are expected to take the lead at some point—and for people under 30, money is already a primary draw. Participants listed a toxic work environment as the leading reason they would leave a job, along with poor work-life balance, feeling undervalued, and burnout.
Driving productivity
On the topic of productivity, workers overwhelmingly pointed to higher salaries as a key driver. Many also report high workloads as a recurring theme in conversations with friends about work, while men specifically note that their work often feels repetitive and mundane.
The survey provides a stark view of the modern workplace. “Employees feel isolated, burdened by workloads, lacking in mental health support, and financially insecure,” explain the researchers. “Addressing this is a major challenge for today’s leaders, who must create workplaces that foster connection, allow employees to balance work and life, and provide a sense of stability—all within a highly uncertain economy.”
When asked if productivity would rise if pay increased, workers overwhelmingly agreed—and there is some evidence to back them up. While average wages have barely budged in recent decades, productivity has outpaced them. Studies show that firms offering higher pay tend to be better-managed and more productive.
“Work is personal to everyone, yet we often like to believe we keep a healthy distance from it. Interestingly, when people talk about others’ work experiences, they reveal something more personal and reflective,” the researchers observe.
“This study uncovered a shift in priorities. Salary and career growth, while still important, are increasingly joined by deeper human needs for flexibility and meaningful balance.”
