A new study by the Resolution Foundation has found a major change in UK workplaces: the number of men wanting to work full-time has dropped steeply, while figures for women have barely moved. The cause of the shift remains unclear.
Men driving the decline in full-time work
Hannah Slaughter, principal economist at the organisation, which has strong links to Andy Burnham's Labour government, said: “Fewer people want to work full-time, but interestingly that has been entirely driven by men.” She shared data showing the desire for full-time work among men has fallen by about 15 percentage points between 2015 and 2025.
The fall was seen among 8 to 29 year olds and 30 to 49 year olds, with a smaller drop among 50 to 64 year olds. She said: “I think it's still a bit of an open question kind of why that's happening.”
Childcare not the cause
The think tank examined whether the fall was due to dads taking more responsibility with childcare. But this did not appear to be the cause, with figures for men who had no children falling even more than for those with children.
Ms Slaughter said: “It is kind of potentially the case that you know there's been something that's acting across men to kind of push down desire for full-time work and maybe something else is pushing in the other direction for women. Certainly an important but open question there.”
Job satisfaction at record low
The report found that job satisfaction was at the lowest level ever recorded by the British Social Attitudes survey. The proportion of Brits willing to work harder than necessary to help their employer succeed has also dropped to its lowest level in the last 10 years.
The report also revealed widespread concern over the impact AI will have on jobs. Ms Slaughter said: “Britain’s labour market has changed significantly over the past decade, and so too have people’s expectations of work. Our analysis suggests that workers increasingly want jobs that provide flexibility, independence and financial security. But many feel those expectations are not being met.”
She added: “The result is rising frustration among workers, who report lower job satisfaction, declining willingness to go above and beyond, and a reduced appetite for full-time work. This ‘dissatisfaction drain’ is self-evidently bad for workers, but it also doesn’t bode well for productivity and labour supply, both of which are vital for lifting living standards in the years ahead.”
Flexible working rights
UK law allows people to make a request to change their hours. Flexible working legislation also allows workers to request when they start and finish, the days they work, and where they work. Such a request can be made from day one, and employers must assess it and deal with it in a "reasonable manner".
John Curtice, co-editor of the British Social Attitudes report, said: "This invaluable analysis suggests that, for the most part, the current difficulties in Britain’s labour market cannot simply be accounted for workers’ attitudes. Young people have not become more ‘work-shy’, nor have workers in general become more reluctant to change jobs. But if workers are to be fully engaged in their work, it has seemingly become more important for employers to provide jobs that are both financially rewarding and have flexible work hours."
