White-collar job satisfaction statistics

Key points

• 89% of American white-collar workers who participated in our job satisfaction survey said they were somewhat satisfied or very satisfied with their current position.
• In 2024, survey respondents value work-life balance and a high salary.
• Pay is the top reason U.S. white-collar workers would quit their jobs.
• Human resources employees are the most satisfied with their current role, while those who work in technology are the least satisfied of white-collar workers.
• White-collar workers in hybrid roles are more satisfied than those in entirely in-person or fully remote roles.

The job market may be challenging, layoffs may be prevalent and ongoing return-to-office mandates may be frustrating swaths of employees. Still, surprisingly, most white-collar workers (89%) are at least somewhat satisfied with their current positions.

That’s based on our survey of 1,000 white-collar workers who work a typical in-office job or are remote or hybrid employees who use a laptop to complete work. Of these survey respondents, 81% are employed full-time, 18% part-time and 1% per diem.

And it’s not just their current roles that white-collar workers are satisfied with. Survey respondents are also overwhelmingly somewhat or very satisfied with:

• The quality of their leadership (81%).
• Their work-life balance (81%).
• Their job security (79%).
• Their time off policy (78%).
• Their potential for future growth (77%).
• Their benefits plan (76%).
• Their workload (76%).

The work-life balance satisfaction is particularly noteworthy, as our survey indicates it’s the most critical aspect of a job for both men (44%) and women (50%), though a high salary trails close behind. 

Below, we’ll look at the job satisfaction statistics from our in-depth survey.

Here’s how satisfied white-collar workers are with different aspects of their jobs.

Among survey participants, more males (93%) than females (85%) indicate they are somewhat or very satisfied with their role. But overwhelmingly, most white-collar workers surveyed say they are satisfied with their positions to some degree.

Job satisfaction by gender

The top industries with the most satisfied white-collar workers

While white-collar workers are notably satisfied with their current positions, some industries yield more significant levels of satisfaction than others.

For instance, in our survey, 96% of respondents who work in human resources (HR) say they are satisfied with their role. Information technology (IT) is the only other industry where more than 9 out of 10 respondents (94%) are somewhat or very satisfied.

White-collar workers in financial services and entertainment (88% each) and food and beverage (86%) are also notably satisfied with their positions.

Satisfaction by industry

The worst industries for satisfaction

Even in industries with fewer satisfied employees, dissatisfaction levels are low. The tech industry has the lowest satisfaction levels, with 82% of workers saying they are somewhat or very satisfied.

But that doesn’t mean 18% are unsatisfied: 11% reported feeling neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, meaning only 6% indicated actual dissatisfaction in their careers.

It’s a similar story for white-collar workers in health and wellness, where the effects of the pandemic are still leaving doctors, nurses and others in the field feeling burnt out.¹ While 83% of workers in the industry still reported satisfaction in our survey, 7% indicated some level of dissatisfaction.

Satisfaction by industry

Pay is the top reason U.S. white-collar workers would quit their jobs

Employees were in the driver’s seat in 2021 and 2022, leaving jobs for better opportunities elsewhere. That slowed in 2023, with 12% fewer Americans leaving their jobs as employers scaled back remote benefits and began laying off significant portions of the workforce.²

Even so, 44.5 million workers quit their jobs on their terms in 2023 for several reasons.² But the most common reason white-collar employers are leaving their jobs? Money. In fact, 50% of white-collar workers surveyed said they’d leave their current roles — roles that a majority of them are satisfied with — for better pay.

However, pay isn’t the only reason employees consider ditching their current employer. Other popular reasons for entertaining a change of jobs include:

• Work-life balance (36%).
• Quality of leadership (29%).
• Job security (28%).
• Benefits (26%).

Reasons a worker may leave their job

Nearly half of respondents believe work-life balance is the most important aspect of a job

In 2024, American white-collar workers value work-life balance slightly more than a high salary, according to our survey of 1,000 white-collar employees across industries. Nearly half (47.4%) named work-life balance one of the most important aspects of a job, while slightly fewer (46.9%) cited high salary.

More females (49.5%) prioritize work-life balance than males (43.6%). Males actually prioritize a high salary slightly more (44.2%) than they do work-life balance.

^{Each survey participant had the option to select five aspects that they considered most important.}

The most important aspect of a career by industry

Employee workplace values vary by industry. For instance, those in the financial services field overwhelmingly (and perhaps unsurprisingly) prioritize a high salary (56%) above all else. Similarly, those in entertainment (53%), IT (46%) and HR (48%) reported that a high salary was most important.

Similarly, 51% of respondents in the tech industry said a competitive salary was among the most important aspects. In comparison, work-life balance was the most popular choice for those in the food and beverage (41%), advertising and marketing (50%) and health and wellness (52%) industries.

Engineering and public relations (PR) respondents most commonly cited job security (50% and 54%, respectively) as the most important aspect.

^{Each survey participant was asked to select five aspects that they consider most important.}

More than three-quarters of white-collar workers are satisfied with their workplace paid time off policy

The white-collar workers we surveyed are largely satisfied with their companies’ time-off policies, which can include sick days, mental health days, vacation days, flex time and family leave. In fact, 50% say they’re very satisfied, while another 28% say they’re somewhat satisfied.

Only 9% are unsatisfied with their time off policy.

The industries most satisfied with paid time off policy

Paid time off policies may differ from company to company. Still, white-collar workers in the IT and financial services industries are generally the most satisfied with their PTO benefits (87% and 80%, respectively).

HR employees are similarly satisfied; 80% of them told us they were satisfied with their paid time off policies.

Over half of American white-collar workers are not in their dream job

White-collar workers may be largely satisfied with their positions, but that doesn’t mean they’re working in their dream roles. Our survey of 1,000 white-collar workers revealed that only 2 out of 5 (40%) respondents are in their dream role. Notably, 52% of males report working in their dream role, while only 33% of women report the same.

Our jobs are a huge part of our daily lives: Full-time employees spend 40 hours a week (likely more) actively working in their roles. Yet 60% of Americans surveyed are not in their dream role.

Chasing a dream role could impact an employee’s tenure with a company: 25% of white-collar workers told us they know what their dream job is and that they’re looking to move into it soon. Another 14% have identified their dream role but don’t know the proper steps to take to get there, indicating an opportunity for employers to help their workers with career pathing.

65% of U.S. white-collar workers have experienced stress or burnout in the past 12 months 

Several factors, including stress and burnout, can lead employees to seek out new opportunities elsewhere. This is a real problem plaguing the American workforce.

Just over 65% of white-collar workers in our survey told us they experienced work-related stress and burnout in the past year.

Nearly half of U.S. white-collar workers are on the job hunt

Managers and directors take note: Your current employees may be plotting their escape. Recruiters and hiring managers, now is the time to strike.

In our survey, nearly half of white-collar workers (49%) admitted they’ve looked for a job in the past six months. There is nearly an even split between males and females: 51% of males said they looked for jobs, while 48% of females said the same.

Fully in-office vs. hybrid vs. fully remote

Based on our survey of 1,000 white-collar workers, employees in hybrid roles (some in-office, some remote) are the most satisfied: 89% of hybrid workers report being somewhat or very satisfied with their job, compared to 88% of those who are fully in-office and 85% of those who are fully remote.

What’s important to these workers differs. For instance, work-life balance was the most commonly cited important job aspect for hybrid workers (54%) and fully remote workers (52%). High salary was the most common priority (44%) for fully in-office employees.

That said, workers in all three scenarios cite pay as the top reason for leaving a job.

In our survey, fewer than half (47%) of fully remote employees reported having experienced stress or burnout in the past year, compared to 66% of hybrid workers and 70% of fully in-office workers.

Over three-quarters of white-collar workers are satisfied with their workplace benefit plans 

By and large, white-collar workers are satisfied with their workplace benefits (health insurance, pension/retirement): 49% told us they’re very satisfied and another 27% said they’re somewhat satisfied.

Satisfaction varies by industry. More employees in advertising and marketing, as well as human resources, are satisfied (81%) than their counterparts. Financial service workers also have a higher-than-average percentage of employees who are satisfied with their benefits (80%).

Tips for taking advantage of work benefits 

Overall, white-collar American workers are satisfied with their benefits, but how you use them can undoubtedly impact how happy you are with them. Here are a few tips to make the most of your employee benefits:

1. Pay attention to enrollment periods. When it comes to employer-sponsored health insurance, you can typically only enroll during a short window of time each year (unless you have a significant life event, like a marriage, divorce or new baby). Don’t miss enrollment or you’ll have to find insurance elsewhere.
2. Take the time to review your budget. Many employers offer a choice between high-deductible health plans (HDHP) and preferred provider organization (PPO) plans with low deductibles. Consider your budget and health conditions carefully to understand which strategy works for you.
3. Opt into all the freebies. Employers frequently offer a basic level of life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability and other benefits totally for free. You just have to opt in. Make sure you snatch up all these freebies, though understand you may need to purchase additional life insurance for comprehensive coverage. Here are the best life insurance companies to consider.
4. Take mental health days. Your company may offer more sick days (or vacation days) than you need. But even if you don’t get sick often or plan to travel much, you should use that time off. It’s a part of your benefits package and thus part of your compensation. Take a mental health day when you’re feeling overwhelmed — use it to sit on the couch all day, tend to your garden, visit a loved one, go for a hike, whatever you want to do! It’s an excellent way to turn your work brain off and enjoy the day.
5. Understand rollover policies. If you don’t plan to use all your PTO in a given year, make sure you understand your company’s policy on rolling it over. If any of it will expire, prioritize using it. And if you’re planning to leave your company, find out if they’ll pay out unused sick and vacation time. If they don’t, use it before quitting.
6. Ask about benefits during interview conversations. We often think of salary as a big part of negotiations when interviewing for a new job, but you should ask for a full review of the benefits to compare offers. If you love a job but the employer doesn’t offer enough PTO, for instance, counter for more paid time off.
7. Read the fine print. Always understand what you’re agreeing to when accepting a benefit. For instance, an employer may offer educational assistance, but they may require you to stay a certain amount of time — or else you’ll have to pay back whatever you were reimbursed. Similarly, a company may offer commuter benefits, like parking reimbursement — but that might mean you’re expected to come in a certain number of days each week.

Article sources

1. The Harvard Gazette
2. Wall Street Journal