39% of UK workers considering a new job in the next 12 months
59% of employees without flexibility plan to leave
The annual What Workers Want survey by New Possible, a people insight platform, forecasts growing volatility in the UK labour market:
- 39% of employees say they’re likely to look for a new role in the next 12 months – up from 33% in 2024.
- Demand for flexibility continues to surge, as 59% of employees without flexibility say they intend to leave – compared to 50% a year ago.
- Pay expectations remain above inflation, with an average 7% salary increase considered ‘fair’ by employees in 2025, slightly below the 8% they sought last year.
- Concerns over job security are mounting: 14% of respondents believe they’re at risk of redundancy – up from 10% in 2024 – reflecting growing unease about the economy.
Nate Harwood, founder of New Possible, said: “2025 is shaping up to be a turbulent year for the job market, with employees increasingly seeking new opportunities and greater flexibility. At the same time, high pay expectations pose a challenge for employers already grappling with rising costs like National Insurance Contributions as they work to attract and retain talent.”
Overall job satisfaction across sectors remains steady at 70%, with engineering and manufacturing (75%), and charities (73%) enjoying the highest satisfaction levels. In contrast, healthcare (68%), retail (66%), transport and logistics (63%) are at the lower end.
When asked about their biggest frustrations at work, respondents were clear that poor leadership and unhealthy cultures have the biggest impact on their likelihood to leave. Colleagues, staffing shortages, pay and poor work-life balance were also key reasons why many are planning to look for a new job.
Unhealthy cultures were most often described as “greedy”, “challenging” and “toxic” – with people frequently feeling undervalued.
Top five reasons for leaving:
- Poor leadership
- Unhealthy culture
- Colleagues
- Lack of resources (inc. staffing)
- Pay dissatisfaction
Top five reasons to stay:
- Colleagues
- Flexibility
- Fulfilment
- Healthy culture
- Good benefits
Wellbeing remains under pressure, with 30% of employees reporting a decline over the past year; those in transport and logistics (45%), IT (40%), sales (40%), and retail (35%) have experienced the sharpest falls.
In a notable shift, IT (69%) – previously the most satisfied sector in 2024 – now reports growing dissatisfaction, with particular frustrations around pay and work-life balance.
Sector | Av. Job Satisfaction | Likelihood to leave |
Engineering and Manufacturing | 75% | 47% |
Charity | 73% | 46% |
Business Management | 71% | 39% |
Law | 70% | 19% |
Creative Arts | 70% | 48% |
Public Services | 70% | 35% |
Banking and Finance | 70% | 50% |
Education | 70% | 37% |
Sales | 70% | 35% |
Hospitality | 70% | 50% |
Property and Construction | 69% | 35% |
Information Technology | 69% | 40% |
Healthcare | 68% | 38% |
Retail | 66% | 55% |
Transport and Logistics | 63% | 52% |
The What Workers Want survey also highlights that 35-44-year-olds are the most likely age group to move jobs in 2025, driven by pay and workload demands.
2,014 UK employees responded to the survey, and the full findings of the ‘What Workers Want’ survey can be found on the New Possible website.
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