- The financial and insurance sector had the highest overall employee happiness score in the study (8.18/10), as well as the highest average annual pay (£85,538).
- Public administration had the second-highest happiness score (8.17/10).
- Accommodation and food services had the lowest overall employee happiness score of any industry (4.12/10).
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing had the second-lowest happiness score (4.74/10).
The top 10 industries with the happiest workers
| Rank | Industry | Av. gross annual pay (£) | Job hoppers (% <12 Months) | Different employer after 1 year | Same employer after 1 year | Happiness score / 10 |
| 1 | Finance and insurance | 85,538 | 14.9 | 22.7 | 73.1 | 8.18 |
| 2 | Public administration and defence | 41,530 | 11.5 | 21.1 | 75.5 | 8.17 |
| 3 | Professional, scientific and technical | 56,240 | 13.5 | 23.5 | 70.5 | 7.79 |
| 4 | Transportation and storage | 43,648 | 14.1 | 25.2 | 70.2 | 7.34 |
| 5 | Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 60,036 | 18.6 | 20.3 | 72.9 | 7.18 |
| 6 | Manufacturing | 43164 | 14.2 | 26.8 | 68.3 | 6.97 |
| 7 | Education | 40,573 | 16.1 | 28.2 | 66.3 | 6.88 |
| 8 | Mining and quarrying | 57,424 | 17.8 | 24.4 | 69 | 6.73 |
| 9 | Real estate activities | 40,940 | 13.8 | 22.9 | 67 | 6.71 |
| 10 | Arts, entertainment and recreation | 44,510 | 19.4 | 25.4 | 66.8 | 6.64 |
1. Financial and insurance activities – 8.18/10
According to the study, the Finance industry has the happiest employees, with a total happiness score of 8.18/10.
The average annual pay was the highest of any industry in the study at £85,538. Moreover, the finance industry proved to have some of the lowest turnover, with 73% of employees remaining with the same employer after one year.
2. Public administration and defence – 8.17/10
Following closely behind, with an employee happiness score of 8.17/10, is the Public administration industry.
With just 11.5% of employees serving less than 12 months, Public administration and defence has one of the lowest rates of job hoppers of any UK industry, beaten only by the agriculture industry with 11.2%.
3. Professional, scientific and technical activities – 7.79/10
Third in the rankings, with an employee happiness score of 7.79/10, is the professional, scientific and technical activities sector.
Including fields such as legal activities, engineering, management consultancy, and scientific research, the industry has an average annual salary of £56,240; amongst the highest of all the industries in the study.
The top 5 industries with the unhappiest workers
| Rank | Industry | Av. gross annual pay (£) | Job hoppers (% <12 Months) | Different employer after 1 year | Same employer after 1 year | Happiness score / 10 |
| 1 | Accommodation and food services | 31,122 | 33.9 | 40.7 | 47.8 | 4.12 |
| 2 | Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 34,848 | 11.2 | 35.7 | 54.7 | 4.74 |
| 3 | Wholesale and retail/repair of motor vehicles | 39,813 | 19.6 | 32.5 | 58.4 | 4.87 |
| 4 | Other service activities | 37,947 | 15.1 | 30.2 | 61.9 | 5.80 |
| 5 | Human health and social work activities | 39,484 | 17.1 | 28.7 | 64.3 | 5.87 |
1. Accommodation and food service activities – 4.12/10
According to the study, the industry with the lowest overall employee happiness is Accommodation and food services, with a happiness score of just 4.12/10.
The industry had the lowest average annual salary in the study at £31,122. It also had the highest number of job hoppers, with 34% serving less than 12 months.
2. Agriculture, forestry and fishing – 4.74/10
Next up is the Agriculture industry, with an employee happiness score of 4.74/10.
With an average annual pay of £34,848, it was amongst the lowest of all the industries in the study. It also had the highest number of average weekly hours of any industry in the study: 42.
However, this industry did prove to have the lowest number of job hoppers, with just 11.2% of people serving less than 12 months.
3. Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles – 4.87/10
Third in the rankings is the industry for Wholesale and retail, as well as the repair of motor vehicles, with an employee happiness score of just 4.87/10.
The average annual pay was amongst the lowest in the study, at £39,813. The industry was also amongst those with the highest number of employees moving to a different employer after one year (32.5%).
