National survey of 18,000 workers offers new open source data often missing from typical labor market measures

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A new nationally representative survey reveals that four in 10 U.S. workers are in jobs that meet the basic elements of job quality, such as providing fair pay, having predictable schedules, and offering opportunities to grow and advance – contributing to higher turnover, negative impacts to businesses’ bottom lines, and economic instability in communities.

The American Job Quality Study (AJQS), led by Jobs for the Future, The Families & Workers Fund, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, and conducted by Gallup, surveyed more than 18,000 workers across industries, geographies, and job types. The findings provide one of the most comprehensive looks to date at Americans’ job quality and offer a crucial complement to existing sources of labor market data by highlighting the experiences of workers day to day.

“Traditional labor statistics track how many people are employed and what they earn—but they don’t capture the aspects of work that drive employee and business success. This is about creating a clearer, and more actionable, picture of our country’s economic health,” said Maria Flynn, President and CEO of Jobs for the Future. “With this data, our goal is to help policymakers, researchers, and business leaders understand the conditions that can support stronger businesses, better outcomes for workers, and inclusive economic growth.”

This study offers an initial look at how many Americans have quality jobs and who holds them. The study defines a “quality job” as one that achieves minimum thresholds across at least three of the five dimensions that research shows matter most to both workers and businesses: financial well-being, workplace culture and safety, growth and development opportunities, agency and voice, and work structure and autonomy. 

Workers in quality jobs report higher levels of job satisfaction (58% vs. 23% for those in lower-quality jobs), better health, and greater overall life satisfaction – factors that are consistently linked in prior research to lower turnover, higher productivity, and stronger business performance. 

“This first-of-its-kind survey can help business leaders, policymakers, and all of us work together to create more jobs that enable workers, families, and businesses to thrive now and in the future,” said Rachel Korberg, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Families and Workers Fund. “Companies that invest in quality jobs tend to experience increased employee retention, productivity, and innovation.”

Initial findings & insights from the study include:

• Access to quality jobs is uneven across demographic groups, regions and industries. For example, while 39% of full-time or part-time employees (those receiving a W-2) have quality jobs, 46% of non-W-2 workers (i.e., those working as independent contractors, the self-employed and informal workers) are in roles that meet job quality thresholds. Men (45%) are more likely than women (34%) to be in quality jobs. Quality jobs exist throughout the U.S. but are more common in the West (44%) than the Northeast (39%), South (38%) and Midwest (36%) Census regions.
• When it comes to financial well-being, 29% of employees say they are “just getting by” or “finding it difficult to get by.” Another 43% say they are “doing okay,” while only 27% of employees say they are “living comfortably.” This is backed up by data that shows that half of all employees earn at or below 300% of the federal poverty line for a family of two.
• Most Americans report having autonomy about how they do their work, but not when they do their work. 71% of employees strongly (26%) or somewhat (45%) agree that they can decide how to carry out their work. But, more than half (62%) of employees lack work schedules that are stable, predictable, and over which they have some control, a major driver of stress and disengagement.
• Overall, Americans feel respected at work, but want more voice in decisions affecting their jobs. 83% agree (somewhat or strongly) that they are treated with respect by co-workers and customers. Nearly seven in ten employees (69%) say they have less influence than they should over their pay and benefits. More than half (55%) feel the same about technology adoption at work, and 48% say they have too little say over their working conditions.
• Job satisfaction is linked with participation in on-the-job training and education opportunities, yet only about half of employees have participated in such programs in the past year. Employees with more formal education are most likely to receive employer-provided development and advancement opportunities, and the same is true for those at larger organizations with greater resources.

“No single data point or trend line can fully capture the complexity and scale of the U.S. economy. As a result, it’s easy to become overly reliant on long-standing metrics that, while critical, don’t tell the full story,” said Erica Groshen, former Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and a Research Fellow at the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. “The gap between what labor market data tells us and what workers are experiencing has only become clearer in recent years. The American Job Quality Study represents an effort to close that gap, grounded in rigorous research and a commitment to actionable, practical solutions for businesses and policy leaders.”

The study results are based on a nationally representative survey of U.S. workers, ages 18-75, across industries, geographies, income levels, and demographic groups. Gallup fielded the survey using web and address-based sampling and weighted the results to ensure an accurate reflection of the national workforce. The sample included people in full-time positions as well as independent and part-time workers, as well as people working multiple jobs.

“A unique feature of the survey is that it measures job quality not only for W-2 employees, but also for self-employed workers, including independent contractors and those in informal, cash-based jobs,” said Susan Houseman, Senior Economist at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. “The survey provides important information for research and policy on both the benefits and costs to workers in these non-traditional arrangements.”

“Counting jobs is no longer enough,” said Stephanie Marken, Senior Partner at Gallup. “This study shows what truly defines a good job and why job quality, not just job quantity, is essential to a thriving workforce. Workers in quality jobs aren’t just more satisfied, they’re also healthier, more engaged, and more productive. Improving job quality isn’t only the right thing for workers; it’s a smart investment in stronger businesses and a more resilient economy.”

The study builds on previous research that called for deeper, more comprehensive data on what matters most to workers. The AJQS data set and methodology are now publicly available to inform future research, policy and practice.

To access the full findings from the  American Job Quality Study, please visit https://www.gallup.com/analytics/691241/american-job-quality-study.aspx.

About Jobs for the Future (JFF) 
JFF transforms U.S. education and workforce systems to drive economic success for people, businesses, and communities. jff.org.

About Gallup
Gallup  delivers analytics and advice to help leaders and organizations solve their most pressing problems. Combining more than 80 years of experience with its global reach, Gallup knows more about the attitudes and behaviors of employees, customers, students and citizens than any other organization in the world.

About The Families and Workers Fund
Today is our once-in-a-generation shot to repair and reimagine the systems that fuel economic security and opportunity in the United States: our jobs, workforce and public benefits systems. Families and Workers is a multi-donor fund helping philanthropy to meet this moment. familiesandworkers.org

About W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research
The W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. Since 1945, the Institute has conducted research on labor markets and workforce issues, sharing insights from its research to inform policy and practice at the national, state, and local levels. www.upjohn.org

SOURCE JFF