As the saddest day of the year approaches, more than half of Brits are found to be unhappy at work
This year, Blue Monday aka – ‘the saddest day of the year’ falls on the 19th January. In light of this fateful date, happiness in the workplace has never been more pertinent to businesses and their growth ambitions.
While the economic outlook appears somewhat more positive this year, significant challenges still remain, and holding on to a talented workforce should be top of the agenda for firms looking to grow and boost productivity.
However, data from Reward Gateway | Edenred paints a concerning picture.
Our key findings include:
- More than a quarter of employees in the UK admitted to staying in their role for longer than they would have liked due to economic conditions, indicating mass discontent across the UK’s workforce.
- Unhappiness leads the way as the main cause, as only half (51%) of employees reported being frequently happy at work.
- Less than half (44%) also frequently feel valued, and more than a third (39%) of employees are stressed or overwhelmed on a regular basis.
- On top of this, nearly a quarter of (23%) often feel lonely at work – a feeling likely to be exasperated in January.
Chris Britton, Director of People Experience at Reward Gateway | Edenred, commented: “The sheer number of unhappy workers should serve as a serious warning to employers – especially as so many unhappy employees have been ‘job hugging’ because of the economic climate. Blue Monday is likely to further aggravate the feeling of discontent already rife among the UK’s employees.
“As the economic outlook steadily improves, businesses risk seeing a mass exodus of workers looking for new roles. While happiness is a crucial factor in their decision making, the role of appreciation must not be overlooked as making staff members feel valued plays a significant role in their feelings at work. The number of employees feeling lonely in their workplace is also a worry. As businesses set their strategies for 2026, they should make sure to reevaluate their priorities and focus on building an inclusive, thriving work environment which empowers employees and allows them to feel supported and valued. Those that fail to take this seriously will likely lose talent, risk derailing productivity and damage their bottom line in the long term.”
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