Property & Construction Workers Crowned Most Satisfied in UK Trades

Our new job satisfaction index has revealed some fascinating insights into how UK trade workers feel about their jobs. While many workers in trades are paid well, job satisfaction doesn’t always correlate with salary, and some of the happiest employees aren’t the highest earners.

Millions of UK Workers Are Unhappy in Their Jobs

Looking at all industries, the survey of over 2,000 UK respondents estimates that around 6 million Brits are unhappy in their current roles. Despite this, over half of respondents reported being satisfied with their salary. But, over 30% feel they are paid unfairly, showing that this is just as important as the actual salary.

Construction Leads the Way in Job Satisfaction

Among trade industries, Property & Construction workers reported the highest job satisfaction, with 36% saying they are extremely satisfied with their role. Interestingly, this comes despite 16% earning less than £23K a year, highlighting that satisfaction isn’t just about pay.

High Pay Doesn’t Always Mean Happier Workers

The highest-paid trade in the survey was Engineering & Manufacturing, with nearly a quarter earning over £55K. Job satisfaction in this sector is also high, with one-third of workers reporting being happy with their job and 63% saying they are paid fairly.

Other high-earning trades include Energy & Utilities, where 51% earn over £40K, followed by Engineering & Manufacturing (48%) and Environment & Agriculture (47%). However, the study also found that trades with lower satisfaction, such as Transport & Logistics, were also the ones where workers felt underpaid. Clearly, fair pay and recognition play a major role in job satisfaction.

Which Trades Feel Most Fairly Paid?

Even when salaries vary, perceived fairness and a positive work environment can make a big difference. Our study found that the highest paid trade industry was Engineering and Manufacturing with nearly a quarter of those working in the trade taking home over £55K a year! Job satisfaction was extremely high for this trade too, with 1 in 3 workers in the industry agreeing that they are satisfied with their job. Maybe job satisfaction and a generous salary go hand in hand, with a further 63% of those surveyed agreeing that they are paid fairly.

Being paid fairly and job satisfaction seem to be connected throughout the study, with those working in Transport and Logistics reporting the lowest levels of job satisfaction, whilst also agreeing that they feel they are unfairly paid for the job they do.

The top two industries that had workers that felt they were the most fairly paid included Energy and Utilities with nearly three quarters (69%), and two thirds of Property and Construction workers (67%).

Regional Insights

Pay and satisfaction also varies across the UK:

• Lowest-paid regions: Central England and South West (22% earning under £23K)
• Highest-paid region: South East (30% earning over £55K)
• Job satisfaction leaders: South East (30% extremely satisfied, 45% somewhat satisfied)
• Most underpaid perception: Wales (37%)
  

Tips to Improve Your Job Satisfaction

When outside factories such as salary are out of your hands, you can try to improve your job satisfaction by following some simple tips to hopefully improve your feelings about your job.

1. Seek roles that align with your skills and values
2. Communicate openly with managers about career development opportunities
3. Prioritize industries or roles where employees report high engagement and satisfaction
4. Make small improvements to your daily routines and look for upskilling opportunities

Our job satisfaction index shows just how divided the UK workforce is today. Millions of Brits feel undervalued, and our research highlights that fair pay, recognition, and a positive work environment are just as important as salary in determining job satisfaction.

Whether you’re a tradesperson evaluating your career path or an employer looking to improve staff engagement, the study makes one thing clear: salary matters, but recognition, fairness, and job satisfaction matter just as much.