I’m sure many of you are confused to disbelief, but it seems like London has just missed out on the top spot for being the happiest city in the UK for workers. With our towering skyscrapers and continuous evolution, London was recently voted the world’s most popular place to work, but a new study into job satisfaction has revealed that popularity doesn’t equal happiness, with London having the second-happiest workers in the country.
The study, conducted by Furniture at Work, ranked the UK’s largest cities to find the best and worst regions for workplace happiness, considering things like flexible working opportunities and the average salary per region, amongst other workplace and lifestyle factors.
London obviously has the highest number of opportunities, frequently described as a ‘talent magnet’ attracting workers from across the globe. It also possesses a close proximity and easy access to mainland Europe, as well as a dominant young population and a diverse job market.
A spokesperson commented on the research: “Looking at the results of this study, it’s no surprise that London continues to be one of the world’s most desirable cities to work and study in – especially thanks to the world-class public transport available to speed up commute times and diverse population allowing communities to flourish.”
The happiest and saddest workers in the UK
Since London came second, I bet you’re wondering who came out on top. Well, it’s none other than Edinburgh, receiving an index score of 84.1 with London getting 78.6. The other cities that follow (in order) include Bristol, Leeds, and Newcastle.
When it comes to the cities with not-so-happy workers, Bradford came out on the bottom (number 21), followed by Portsmouth, Liverpool, and Kingston-upon-Hull.
So there we have it – that’s how London became the second happiest city in the UK for workers. If you’re a local looking for a happier life, it looks like Edinburgh is your only other option. Check out our friends at Secret Edinburgh if you’re feeling inspired by the study, and find out exactly why it’s happier than London.