UK workers less willing to go the extra mile, survey shows (opens the source in a new tab)
- A Resolution Foundation analysis of the British Social Attitudes Survey finds UK workers more disengaged than a decade ago, with job satisfaction the gloomiest in the survey's history.
- The share willing to work harder than required fell from 69% in 2015 to 55% in 2025; managers and professionals pulled back most, and men cooled more than women.
- The think tank points to post-pandemic priorities, remote work, heavier demands and fewer chances to advance, and says the shift could help explain weak UK productivity.
Why it matters If effort, not just hours or capital, is slipping, part of Britain's productivity problem lies in management and job design, which investment alone won't fix.
Other side The survey measures stated willingness, not output; staff who already feel always on may say they do less extra while working just as hard.