UK workers prioritize work-life balance, study finds
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — A recent study by the Policy Institute at King’s College London reveals that the United Kingdom (UK) is among the countries least likely to prioritize work over leisure.
Among 24 nations surveyed, the UK ranked lowest in agreeing that work should always come first, even at the expense of free time.
Younger generations are driving this shift in attitude. Millennials’ willingness to prioritize work plummeted from 41% in 2009 to 14% in 2022. Gen X and Gen Z hold similar views, at 17% and 19%, respectively, in contrast to Baby Boomers at 28% and the Pre-War generation at 43%.
Interestingly, 52% of Millennials believe it would be beneficial if society placed less importance on work, an increase from 31% in 2005. The opinion reflects a broader trend as 43% of the UK public feels the same, up from 26% since 1981.
Bobby Duffy, director of the Policy Institute, explained that their latest study does not mean that the UK workforce is the least productive.
“What comes through in this data is more of a steady drift towards a greater focus on getting [the] work-life balance right, rather than any big change in attitudes, which is not necessarily bad for productivity,” he stated.
Duffy added that their report shows “a long-term shift in preferences for work-life balance,” as more people believe it would be good if less importance were placed on work.
