Many workers look back on their careers wishing they had moved on sooner, with staying in the wrong job emerging as one of the most common workplace regrets among UK employees.
New research suggests that career regrets are widespread, with nearly four in five workers saying there is something about their working life they would do differently if given the chance. It indicates that many employees regret missed opportunities, excessive workloads and delaying difficult career decisions.
The research, conducted by HR, payroll and benefits software provider Ciphr, found that 79 percent of employees have at least one work-related regret. Workers aged between 35 and 44 were the most likely to report regrets, with 87 percent saying they wished they had handled some aspect of their career differently.
Staying too long tops the list
The most common regret identified by respondents was overthinking workplace situations or conversations they could not change, cited by 17 percent of workers.
 |
Get our essential weekday HR news and updates.
|
Close behind was staying in a job for too long, selected by 16 percent of respondents. The same proportion said they regretted working too many hours or failing to prioritise their work-life balance.
Many workers also expressed regret about missed career opportunities. Fifteen percent said they had played it safe instead of pursuing advancement opportunities, while 11 percent regretted not pursuing their dream career and a further 10 percent wished they had changed careers sooner.
Experts say it suggests that many career regrets stem not from decisions that people made, but from decisions they delayed or avoided altogether.
Claire Hawes, chief people and operations officer at Ciphr, said missed opportunities were a recurring theme.
“As these findings show, the outcomes most people look back on with regret are the things they didn’t do, the career path not taken, the job opportunities missed, or the work problem not dealt with sooner.”
She said reflection could help people learn from both positive and negative experiences.
“Very few people don’t have something in their past they’d do differently, perhaps, given the chance. The important thing is that we take time to reflect and learn from our work experiences. The good and the bad.”
Managers more likely to regret overwork
The survey also pointed to concerns about long working hours and work-life balance, particularly among managers.
One in five senior and middle managers said they regretted working too many hours or not prioritising their work-life balance, compared with 12 percent of non-managers.
The finding echoes previous Ciphr research suggesting many managers regularly work unpaid overtime each week.
Women were also more likely than men to regret putting up with a bad manager for too long. Fifteen percent of women cited this as a career regret, compared with 9 percent of men.
Money-related decisions featured prominently too. Fourteen percent regretted not saving more into a pension or not starting pension contributions earlier, while 8 percent wished they had negotiated a higher starting salary and the same proportion regretted not asking for a pay rise.
Importance of regular conversations
Hawes said regular one-to-one meetings could help employees address concerns before they developed into longer-term regrets.
“One of the biggest benefits of having regular manager check-ins (scheduled or ad-hoc) is that it helps to normalise constructive self-reflection and performance conversations.”
She said these discussions gave employees an opportunity to reflect on challenges, seek feedback and raise concerns before problems escalated.
“Done well, 1:1s help build trust, align priorities, boost job engagement and reinforce a sense of purpose and focus.”
Hawes warned that employees who felt overlooked or unsupported because meetings were frequently cancelled or shortened could become disengaged and ultimately decide to leave.
The research was based on a OnePoll survey of 2,000 UK employees commissioned by Ciphr in February 2026.
William Furney is a Managing Editor at Black and White Trading Ltd based in Kingston upon Hull, UK. He is a prolific author and contributor at Workplace Wellbeing Professional, with over 127 published posts covering HR, employee engagement, and workplace wellbeing topics. His writing focuses on contemporary employment issues including pension schemes, employee health, financial struggles affecting workers, and broader workplace trends.
- William Furney
- William Furney
- William Furney
- William Furney
