People are now more interested in job rewards now rather than at some point in the future

Employees place far greater importance on being respected, fairly compensated and other job rewards now than on their future career prospects, according to new international research. The Work Remastered 2025 report from United Culture, which surveyed 1,500 employees in the UK, US and Western Europe, found that respect topped the list of workplace priorities, cited by 36 percent of respondents. This rose to 43 percent among US workers and 45 percent among those aged 18 to 24. Job security followed at 31 percent—rising to 40 percent in the UK—while fair pay ranked third at 29 percent.

At the other end of the scale, only 10 percent of respondents said a clear career path was important, and just 9 percent valued innovation highly. The findings point to a widening gap between what organisations want—such as long-term innovation and strategic development—and what employees say they need day to day.

Victoria Lewis-Stephens, managing director at United Culture, said the results show that “people are focused on what is happening here and now,” while employers continue to look for long-term improvement and innovation. She suggested that firms should give staff meaningful time within their work schedules to engage with these longer-term goals, reframing them as routes to stability and opportunity.

The survey also highlights the continuing influence of pay on workplace motivation. Over a third (34 percent) said salary and financial benefits were their main driver at work, followed by relationships with colleagues (26 percent) and recognition or appreciation (25 percent).

Half of those surveyed said that the prospect of salary increases was their strongest motivation, but fewer than a quarter (23 percent) were driven by the chance of promotion, and only one in five (20 percent) said they aspired to leadership roles. Tangible rewards and perks were also the most valued form of recognition, chosen by 41 percent of respondents.

Lewis-Stephens said that while higher salaries remain a key incentive, they are not enough to keep people in roles that are stressful or disengaging. “There’s a fine balance between pay and non-pay factors when it comes to building a successful workplace,” she said. “Leaders will have to understand where to invest to make the greatest difference to their teams.”