Minneapolis, April 18, 2024 – Hustle culture is on its way out in the US, with Healthcare & Nursing leading the shift as 136,603 advertised jobs in this sector advocate for better work-life balance, according to new research from smarter job search engine Adzuna. The data, collected over the past four years, showcases a significant shift towards what are being coined as ‘anti-hustle’ jobs.
According to data collected from January 2020 to March 2024, the number of advertised vacancies for ‘anti-hustle’ jobs has been steadily increasing, indicating a notable trend in the US job market. ‘Anti-hustle’ jobs are defined as positions that emphasize work-life balance and overall well-being over relentless productivity and long working hours, whereas ‘hustle jobs’ are characterized by their demanding nature and emphasis on constant productivity.
Key findings include:
- There were 648,548 advertised ‘anti-hustle’ jobs in March 2024, up +356% compared to pre-pandemic level. In Jan 2020, there were merely 142,168 jobs advocating for work-life balance, accounting for 3% of all advertised vacancies. Since coming out of the pandemic, there has been a heightened emphasis on work-life balance, with the proportion of ‘anti-hustle’ jobs reaching its peak at 8.7% in March 2024, while there’s a nearly -5% slide in the number of ‘hustle’ jobs.
- Healthcare & Nursing boasted the highest number of advertised ‘anti-hustle’ jobs (136,603 job ads), and it is also the top sector where the proportion of ‘anti-hustle’ jobs (8.9%) outweighs ‘hustle’ jobs’ (8.6%). Conversely, sectors like Travel and Hospitality & Catering maintained high proportions of ‘hustle’ jobs, with percentages as high as 44.7% and 30.5% respectively. This is far higher than the percentage of ‘hustle jobs’ overall, which accounted for 18.1% of all advertised vacancies in March 2024.
- Average advertised salaries for ‘anti-hustle’ jobs in sectors such as Consultancy, IT and Legal, and PR, Marketing and Advertising exceeded $100,000, indicating there are roles that prioritize work-life balance even in high-paying industries.
Jame Neave, Head of Data Science at job search engine Adzuna, comments: “While ‘hustle’ mentality persists among US employers, our data reveals work-life balance is becoming the new power player. Many employers are waking up to the fact that today’s workforce, especially Gen Z, can see right through the once-glorified hustle culture facade. They are no longer falling for the productivity trap. Viral TikTok trends such as ‘5-9 before the 9-5’ highlight that even if workers are embracing the ‘rise and grind’ mentality, they are hustling for their wellbeing, not for work. Our data reveals that sectors that are desperate for talent such as Healthcare & Nursing, Hospitality & Catering, IT, and Retail are now featuring keywords associated with better work-life balance in their job ads to attract talent.”
“Data isn’t just numbers; it shows there are stories waiting to be told. From the significant surge in job vacancies to the changes in the proportions of ‘anti-hustle’ and ‘hustle’ jobs across sectors, each number indicates there are changing attitudes within the workforce. This not only highlights the growing emphasis on work-life balance, as evidenced by the uptick in ‘anti-hustle’ job proportions, but also underscores the disparities in compensation. It reflects the values and dynamics shaping employment patterns, offering valuable insights for both employers and jobseekers navigating the complexities of the modern job market,” Neave added.
Earnings in the Post-Hustle Landscape
Across sectors, there are notable variations in average advertised salaries for both ‘anti-hustle’ and ‘hustle’ jobs. For instance, in IT, where hustle culture often prevails, average advertised salaries frequently surpass $120,000 and keywords in job ads put a spotlight on the dedication and long hours required to fill these roles.
In the US job market, understanding salary trends is paramount for employers aiming to secure and retain top talent. By providing competitive compensation packages aligned with prevailing market standards and trends, organizations can position themselves as premier employers and effectively attract skilled professionals. Aligning salaries with industry averages bolsters recruitment efforts.
On the flip side, job candidates can leverage salary trends to their benefit as well. Armed with salary insights, job seekers gain a strategic advantage in negotiating fair compensation and making informed career choices. With an understanding of prevailing salary trends across industries, individuals can pursue opportunities that resonate with their financial objectives and career aspirations.
Table 1: Anti-hustle vs hustle culture in the US
| Month | Advertised vacancies of ‘anti-hustle’ jobs | Advertised vacancies of ‘hustle’ jobs | Advertised vacancies in the US |
| Jan 2020 | 142,168 | 745,484 | 4,729,153 |
| Feb 2020 | 143,803 | 730,868 | 4,505,000 |
| Mar 2020 | 190,838 | 640,452 | 4,167,058 |
| Apr 2020 | 130,162 | 418,160 | 3,390,415 |
| May 2020 | 204,286 | 448,149 | 2,777,783 |
| Jun 2020 | 191,634 | 516,873 | 2,652,699 |
| Jul 2020 | 263,289 | 641,381 | 2,841,337 |
| Aug 2020 | 671,227 | 1,450,020 | 3,798,665 |
| Sep 2020 | 545,933 | 1,157,113 | 4,238,454 |
| Oct 2020 | 399,031 | 944,625 | 4,366,196 |
| Nov 2020 | 453,815 | 1,171,057 | 4,552,309 |
| Dec 2020 | 304,279 | 893,650 | 4,461,396 |
| Jan 2022 | 576,530 | 1,408,112 | 8,567,096 |
| Feb 2022 | 550,632 | 1,446,921 | 8,654,577 |
| Mar 2022 | 524,236 | 1,418,777 | 8,619,233 |
| Apr 2022 | 553,210 | 1,449,369 | 8,775,888 |
| May 2022 | 542,100 | 1,438,968 | 8,645,969 |
| Jun 2022 | 555,421 | 1,421,907 | 8,477,243 |
| Jul 2022 | 514,924 | 1,330,052 | 8,125,714 |
| Aug 2022 | 554,876 | 1,493,186 | 8,243,910 |
| Sep 2022 | 664,176 | 1,850,062 | 9,110,897 |
| Oct 2022 | 724,034 | 1,882,109 | 9,877,363 |
| Nov 2022 | 694,761 | 1,816,863 | 10,193,209 |
| Dec 2022 | 622,780 | 1,634,467 | 9,840,206 |
| Jan 2023 | 621,945 | 1,544,842 | 9,326,645 |
| Feb 2023 | 549,440 | 1,316,285 | 8,461,033 |
| Mar 2023 | 586,068 | 1,456,013 | 8,270,337 |
| Apr 2023 | 577,515 | 1,424,334 | 7,968,568 |
| May 2023 | 536,579 | 1,299,341 | 7,808,295 |
| Jun 2023 | 520,924 | 1,232,993 | 7,629,695 |
| Jul 2023 | 485,991 | 1,185,876 | 7,509,349 |
| Aug 2023 | 508,471 | 1,197,850 | 7,473,067 |
| Sep 2023 | 593,746 | 1,297,600 | 7,616,041 |
| Oct 2023 | 680,058 | 1,487,145 | 8,083,492 |
| Nov 2023 | 697,673 | 1,500,921 | 8,370,843 |
| Dec 2023 | 579,540 | 1,291,205 | 8,007,852 |
| Jan 2024 | 570,693 | 1,273,779 | 7,595,095 |
| Feb 2024 | 534,909 | 1,307,554 | 7,275,180 |
| Mar 2024 | 648,548 | 1,349,318 | 7,466,045 |
Table 2: Anti-Hustle Culture by Sector
| Sectors | Advertised vacancies of ‘anti-hustle’ jobs, Mar ’24 | Advertised vacancies of ‘anti-hustle’ jobs, Mar ’23 | Advertised vacancies of ‘hustle’ jobs, Mar ’24 | Advertised vacancies of ‘hustle’ jobs, Mar ’23 | Advertised vacancies in the US, Mar ’24 | Advertised vacancies in the US, Mar ’23 |
| Accounting & Finance | 28,968 | 29,286 | 79,202 | 90,461 | 285,647 | 366,310 |
| Admin | 7,300 | 8,630 | 31,180 | 47,129 | 222,295 | 280,725 |
| Charity & Voluntary | 50 | 28 | 91 | 117 | 574 | 509 |
| Consultancy | 6,178 | 3,411 | 13,033 | 14,861 | 76,637 | 117,617 |
| Creative & Design | 2,638 | 3,212 | 9,914 | 12,306 | 34,453 | 39,850 |
| Customer Services | 15,230 | 51,848 | 37,945 | 59,790 | 173,804 | 301,057 |
| Domestic help & Cleaning | 1,734 | 2,199 | 6,379 | 7,918 | 35,821 | 46,701 |
| Energy | 2,500 | 2,958 | 7,517 | 9,593 | 41,515 | 50,731 |
| Engineering | 32,193 | 31,940 | 93,855 | 80,162 | 579,817 | 586,344 |
| Graduate | 552 | 646 | 1,464 | 2,030 | 13,833 | 12,928 |
| Healthcare & Nursing | 136,603 | 120,797 | 131,894 | 142,019 | 1,533,515 | 1,552,222 |
Methodology:
The research analyzed over 272 million US jobs advertised on Adzuna in 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024. identifying job postings citing keywords around work-life balance (e.g. work-life balance, no overtime, at your own pace) or hustle culture (e.g. can do attitude, work hard play hard, rise and grind), to reveal the top anti-hustle sectors and sectors still encouraging hustle culture.
About Adzuna:
Adzuna is a smarter, more transparent job search engine. We help tens of millions of US jobseekers access more than eight million US jobs each month, so they can cut through the noise, zero in on the right role faster and land the right job.
Adzuna gives job seekers access to every available online job listing in a single site — without giving anyone else access to their personal data — and our unique tools and salary stats help jobseekers pinpoint the perfect role so they can earn what they’re actually worth. We love using the power of our technology to match people to better, more fulfilling jobs and keep Americans working.
Founded in 2011 by Andrew Hunter and Doug Monro, Adzuna is a privately held company backed by Index Ventures, LocalGlobe and Smedvig Capital. In 2022, Adzuna acquired enterprise job search engine Getwork. Follow Adzuna on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn or learn more at https://www.adzuna.com.
