US Worker Wellbeing at Record Low: Gallup 2025 Data

U.S. Workers are ending 2025 feeling less secure in their lives and jobs than at any point in the past three years, according to fresh data released by Gallup. For the first time since the organization began tracking life evaluation among the American workforce, more employees report struggling (49%) than thriving (46%), a significant reversal from 2022 and 2023 when more than half of workers described their lives as thriving.

The decline in wellbeing coincides with a record low in U.S. Worker engagement, which fell to 31% in 2025, matching levels last seen in 2014. This represents an 8 million decrease in engaged employees since 2020, including a drop of 3.2 million since 2023, Gallup reported. Confidence in the job market has also plummeted, with only 28% of workers believing it’s a good time to find a quality job – a stark contrast to the 70% who felt that way in mid-2022.

The data reveal a workforce increasingly restless but constrained by economic realities. More than half of U.S. Workers (51%) are either actively looking for a new job or keeping an eye out for opportunities. Though, nearly half of those actively searching (49%) report a negative experience, often struggling to even secure an interview.

Federal employees have experienced a particularly sharp decline in their sense of thriving. Their thriving rate decreased by 12 percentage points since 2022, falling from a position of strength – where they were more likely to be thriving than the average U.S. Worker – to converging with state and local government workers. This decline appears to be linked to engagement stagnation within federal agencies following the pandemic, with unclear role expectations and a lack of trust in leadership identified as key factors in retention, according to a 2024 Gallup report.

The shift in sentiment is not uniform across demographic groups. College-educated workers are now the most pessimistic about the job market, a reversal from previous years when they were more optimistic than those without a college degree. Younger workers (ages 18-34) are also more likely than older workers to view it as a awful time to find a good job, with only 20% reporting a positive outlook compared to 41% of those aged 65 and older.

Despite high levels of job-seeking intent, many workers feel trapped in their current positions. Approximately 30% of U.S. Workers report feeling “stuck” in their jobs, while 43% cite economic constraints as the primary reason for staying. Nearly 70% of those who feel stuck say they cannot afford to lose their current pay or benefits, and over half (51%) believe it would be difficult to find a comparable job.

Among those actively seeking new employment, pay and benefits are the most frequently cited motivators (69% of those seeking improvement and 53% of those dissatisfied with their current roles). Opportunities for growth and advancement are also important, but dissatisfaction with leadership or management is a significant concern for 27% of those actively looking for a new position.

Gallup’s Q4 2025 survey, conducted between October 30 and November 13, measured thriving using its Life Evaluation Index, which assesses respondents’ current and anticipated life satisfaction on a 10-point scale. The organization’s data indicate that workers who are not thriving are more likely to miss work due to illness and to be actively seeking new employment. Thriving employees miss 53% fewer days of work due to health problems and are 32% less likely to be actively seeking a new job.

The current conditions are contributing to what Gallup has termed the “Great Detachment,” a period characterized by increased turnover intent, declining engagement, and a weakened labor market. Younger workers, particularly those in roles lacking clarity, recognition, and development opportunities, are disproportionately affected and are driving much of the increased job-seeking activity.