Healthcare professionals, emergency responders and care staff are among the most unhappy workers in the UK, according to one of the country’s largest ever sentiment studies of shift-based employees.
The findings come from Deputy, a global workforce management platform used by shift-based businesses, which analysed more than 1.2 million anonymous end-of-shift surveys submitted between April 2024 and April 2025.
The data, published in its annual Shift Pulse Report, shows a clear decline in morale across key sectors, with healthcare, emergency services and social care among the hardest hit.
Doctors’ offices and medical clinics recorded the worst scores, with 37.84% of workers expressing negative sentiment — almost five times the national average. Animal health professionals (17.95%), emergency and critical services (12.05%), and care home staff (6.22%) also ranked among the most unhappy.
“This year’s report highlights one of the UK’s most pressing issues: healthcare workers are nearing breaking point. Unless we tackle the root causes of burnout, we risk not only losing frontline talent but the long-term viability of critical community services,” Deputy’s chief financial officer, Emma Seymour, said.
Burnout, Staffing and Scheduling Driving Discontent
The report points to chronic staffing shortages, emotional strain and unpredictable rosters as key reasons for declining morale in the NHS and wider care sector. The pressure is particularly intense in roles that involve high emotional labour and long hours, where the risk of burnout is already elevated.
Nationally, worker happiness has dropped by nearly four percentage points in the last year. Deputy’s data shows overall satisfaction fell from 76.0% in 2024 to 72.21% in 2025, with the Net Happiness Score now at 65.43%.
Bright Spots: Cafés, Vape Shops and Florists Rank Highest
In contrast, some customer-facing sectors have seen significantly higher levels of reported happiness. Workers in vape shops, restaurants and florists reported the highest satisfaction, with clear routines, manageable workloads and stronger team cohesion thought to be contributing factors.
Top 5 happiest sub-sectors:
- Tobacco & Vape Stores – 93.42%
- Sit-Down Restaurants – 89.73%
- Fast Food – 82.88%
- Florists – 82.86%
- Food Pop-Ups – 82.45%
Childcare centres and dental practices also scored well, suggesting that emotional support, a sense of purpose and strong workplace culture help sustain morale in more structured environments.
Regional Divide in Shift Worker Satisfaction
Geography plays a clear role in wellbeing outcomes too. Warwickshire emerged as the happiest region for shift workers, with a Net Happiness Score of 88.26% — more than 22 points above the national average. Other high-scoring areas included Manchester, Edinburgh and Greater London.
At the other end of the scale, the West Midlands recorded the lowest Net Happiness Score in the UK (7.15%), with over a third of responses in the region indicating dissatisfaction. Buckinghamshire and Ireland also scored poorly, raising concerns about uneven support and job quality in certain areas.
Why Morale Is a Business Issue
Seymour stressed employee happiness directly influences how businesses perform.
“From productivity and retention to customer experience and profitability, morale matters,” she said. “Our data shows that when workers feel supported, operations run smoother and businesses thrive. But where burnout and stress go unaddressed, the commercial impact compounds quickly. It’s time we treat emotional wellbeing as a business metric, not just an HR one.”
What Employers Can Do
The report makes clear that predictable scheduling, clear communication and investment in staff culture are key drivers of satisfaction. Deputy’s own Shift Pulse tool enables managers to collect anonymous feedback after every shift, helping them act early on signs of disengagement or dissatisfaction.
Employers looking to improve worker morale are advised to:
- Ensure schedules are fair and predictable, especially in emotionally demanding sectors
- Invest in team culture and psychological safety, including check-ins and mental health support
- Monitor employee sentiment regularly, rather than waiting for formal complaints
- Take early action when signs of stress or burnout emerge, particularly in high-risk roles
As pressure builds in frontline professions, especially in healthcare and care services, organisations are being urged to treat wellbeing as fundamental to operational stability, not just a staff perk.