In an era of burnout, economic instability, and increasing distrust in corporate culture, more white-collar professionals are eyeing the trades. A new TRADESAFE study polled 1,000 office workers across the U.S. and the U.K. to find out just how many are dreaming of ditching desk jobs for hands-on careers.
From electricians to mechanics, skilled trades are earning new respect, and a surprising number of professionals are wondering if they made the wrong career choice. This report explores emotional trade-offs, generational differences, and how AI fears are driving many to consider the trades as a better, more secure future.
Key Takeaways
- Over half of Americans (55%) and nearly half of Britons (49%) have considered leaving white-collar jobs for a skilled trade career.
- Gen Z leads the shift: 59% of American Gen Zers and 39% of British Gen Zers have seriously considered switching to a blue-collar job.
- More than half of American (57%) and British (56%) white-collar workers currently feel extremely burned out or significantly stressed by their jobs.
- 3 in 4 Americans (75%) and about 2 in 3 Britons (65%) believe workers in their country are under increasing pressure to follow a traditional career path.
- About 1 in 5 Americans (23%) and 1 in 6 Britons (16%) are considering switching from a white-collar to a blue-collar job due to concerns about AI and automation.
The Rise of Blue-Collar Appreciation in the U.S.
Even with college degrees and salaries, many white-collar American workers are feeling left behind. Envy toward blue-collar workers is becoming surprisingly common.
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Half of Americans surveyed admitted to feeling envious of people in skilled trade jobs. In fact, nearly 7 in 10 said society is beginning to value hands-on work more than office roles. Among Gen Z, 62% reported this sense of envy, which is higher than any other generation.
More than 1 in 3 Americans (35%) said they've never had a negative perception of blue-collar jobs, and 18% believed the biggest myth about the trades is that they're physically exhausting or unsafe.
Nearly 1 in 10 Americans said they're planning to switch to a skilled trade job within the next year or have already done so. Those in tech (79%), human resources (73%) and healthcare (61%) were most likely to be considering a switch.
British Workers Are Having Similar Thoughts
Across the Atlantic, similar trends are emerging. Many British white-collar professionals are rethinking what makes work meaningful.
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More than half of Britons(52%) who work white-collar jobs said they've felt envious of skilled trade workers, and two-thirds believe society now favors trades over traditional office jobs. Generationally, the youngest workers were the most likely to feel this way, with 49% of Gen Z Britons admitting to it.
Like in the U.S., nearly 1 in 5 believe the stereotype of trades being dangerous or exhausting is outdated. Despite blue-collar work stigmas like this, over 1 in 3 (35%) said they've never held a negative view of blue-collar work.
Some British white-collar workers are acting on their feelings, with 5% having either switched to a skilled trade job already or planning to within the next year. Workers in human resources/recruiting (73%), media/publishing (63%), and education (59%) were the most likely to report this.
Burnout and Disconnection Fuel the Shift
American office workers aren't just curious about different ways of working. They're exhausted, unfulfilled, and looking for a way out of the corporate world.
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In the U.S., 57% of white-collar workers said they're burned out or highly stressed. For Gen Z, that number jumps to 66%, the most of any age group. Industries with the highest burnout in the U.S. included healthcare (65%), legal (63%), and finance (62%).
Over half of Americans (55%) have considered leaving white-collar jobs for a skilled trade career. More Gen Zers (59%) said they've seriously considered leaving their desk jobs for the trades, and 16% said they plan to do so in the next year.
In a white-collar job, Americans said they most often deal with emails (49%), solve problems (44%), and attend meetings (37%). A third also reported mostly spending their time pretending to be busy, while 26% often dealt with unnecessary administration or red tape. Just 1 in 3 reported doing work that actually matters.
One-third said their current job isn't very fulfilling or meaningful. The most unfulfilled workers in America are millennials (34%) and those working in media (80%), real estate (37%), and finance (36%).
U.K. Workers Echo the Stress and Search for Meaning
Burnout and a lack of fulfillment aren't unique to Americans. U.K. white-collar workers are equally disillusioned.
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Over half of Britons (56%) said they're burned out or highly stressed in their white-collar jobs. Gen Z once again reported the highest rates, with 62% feeling significant burnout. The worst-hit industries were media (75%), the public sector (74%), and human resources (73%).
A third of British white-collar workers said their job feels meaningless or unfulfilling, and millennials were the most likely generation to say so, at 37%. According to workers, marketing, real estate, and media were the most unfulfilling industries.
Britons daily routines mirrored those of U.S. workers, with many saying their jobs are mostly about solving problems (51%), emailing (42%), and meetings (38%). However, they were more likely than Americans to report doing meaningful work (42%) and less likely to spend time pretending they are busy (21%).
Nearly half of Britons (49%) said they have considered leaving white-collar jobs for a skilled trade career, including 54% of Gen X and 39% of Gen Z workers.
Pressures, AI Fears, and Regret Are Driving Change
Fear of artificial intelligence, societal pressure, and hindsight are all pushing white-collar professionals to rethink their paths.
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Many American (45%) and British (40%) respondents said they feel social pressure to stay in their white-collar careers even though it's unfulfilling. Gen Z was the most likely to feel this way in the U.S. (68%) and in the U.K. (54%). Most people have stayed in their white-collar roles because they need the income or financial stability (54%) or because they lack the skills or training for a trade job (45%).
Others are rethinking the traditional college path. More than 1 in 2 Britons (57%) and Americans (53%) would advise their child to consider a skilled trade over attending college. And if they could do it all over again themselves, 48% of Britons and 41% of Americans would tell their younger selves to pursue a trade instead.
AI is also playing a role. Over half of Americans (55%) and Britons (52%) said their jobs feel at risk due to AI or automation. The industries most concerned about AI in the U.S. were tech, marketing, and healthcare. In the U.K., workers in marketing, finance, and tech are the most worried.
Due to fears of being replaced by AI, 23% of Americans and 16% of Britons have considered switching to a blue-collar job they think would offer more job security. In the U.S., 61% of Gen Z white-collar workers felt vulnerable to AI, and 33% said it's made them rethink their entire careers. In the U.K., Gen Z workers were also the most likely to feel this way, with 52% feeling vulnerable and 18% rethinking their careers.
Reimagining Success
Office life may no longer be the pinnacle of success. Across generations and countries, white-collar professionals are questioning the trade-offs of desk jobs. With rising burnout, a growing appreciation for hands-on work, and concerns over AI's impact, many are seeing skilled trades as a smarter, more satisfying path forward.
Methodology
We surveyed 500 U.S. and 500 U.K. white-collar workers to uncover whether white-collar professionals are secretly yearning for blue-collar careers. Among U.S. respondents, the average age was 40; 53% were male, 46% were female, and 2% were non-binary. The generational breakdown was 5% baby boomers, 24% Gen X, 52% millennials, and 18% Gen Z. Among U.K. respondents, the average age was 39; 51% were male, and 49% were female. The generational breakdown was 7% baby boomers, 30% Gen X, 45% millennials, and 19% Gen Z. Percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.
About TRADESAFE
TRADESAFE provides industry-leading safety solutions - including Lockout Tagout devices, safety showers, eye wash stations, spill containment solutions, and workplace safety signs - precision-engineered for durability, compliance, and seamless integration into industrial environments. Designed to exceed OSHA, ANSI, and EPA standards, our solutions are relied upon by the nation’s top companies, municipalities, and government agencies.
Fair Use Statement
Feel free to share these findings about white-collar workers in the U.S. and the U.K. for noncommercial purposes, but please provide a link back to this page and a credit to TRADESAFE as the study's author.