CharityJob, the UK’s largest specialist job board for the charity and non-profit sector, has published its new report, Expectations and Values at Work: A Generational View 2026, revealing a decisive shift in what UK charity workers want from their careers.
Based on insights from more than 2,800 charity professionals and jobseekers, the findings show that the workforce is placing unprecedented value on flexibility, wellbeing and workplace culture – often above salary.
Headline findings include:
- The majorityof charity professionals would consider taking a lower-paying role for better work-life balance and flexibility, and would leave a high-paying job if it negatively affected their wellbeing.
- High rates of burnout experienced across the board, buthighest among Millennials.
- Remote and hybrid flexibility has become a baseline expectation.
This reflects a broader shift across generations – from Gen Z entering a competitive job market to Millennials reporting the highest levels of burnout. While motivations vary by age, the report finds a clear consensus: salary alone no longer attracts or retains talent.
“We’ve seen a clear shift in candidate expectations over the past few years,” says Raya Wexler, co-Founder of CharityJob. “The pandemic and ongoing cost-of-living pressures have accelerated a reassessment of what people want from work. Flexibility, wellbeing and respectful workplace cultures aren’t ‘nice-to-haves’; they’re core expectations.
“For charity employers, understanding these changing priorities isn’t optional. It’s the key to attracting, engaging and retaining talent in a tight labour market,” Wexler added.
The report’s findings underscore a shift employers across all sectors can’t ignore: workers want roles that support their wellbeing, offer meaningful flexibility and maintain inclusive, respectful cultures.
The full report is available to download on the CharityJob website.