Anti-hustle jobs surge as work-life balance takes center stage

America’s economy has long been defined by its hustle culture. From Wall Street to Silicon Valley, workers have proven their worth by putting in long hours. However, new research shows that the pendulum might be swinging in the opposite direction. According to a recent study by the job search engine Adzuna, there were 648,548 advertised ‘anti-hustle’ jobs in March 2024, a 356% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels.

‘Hustle’ vs ‘Anti-hustle’

What exactly are ‘hustle’ and ‘anti-hustle’ jobs? The study’s authors define them as such: “’Anti-hustle’ jobs are defined as positions that emphasize work-life balance and overall wellbeing over relentless productivity and long working hours, whereas ‘hustle jobs’ are characterized by their demanding nature and emphasis on constant productivity.”

‘Anti-hustle’ gaining ground

According to the study, which analyzed more than 272 million US job advertisements on Adzuna in 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024, the proportion of ‘anti-hustle’ jobs hit its peak in March 2024, making up 8.7% of job postings. At the same time, ‘hustle’ job advertisements dropped 5%.

Related: Are side hustles burning out your employees?

Jame Neave, Head of Data Science at Adzuna, attributes the rise of ‘anti-hustle’ job postings to generational attitude shifts about work and labor shortages in certain sectors:

“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 health care & nursing, hospitality & catering, IT, and retail are now featuring keywords associated with better work-life balance in their job ads to attract talent.”

Disparities between sectors

As Neave mentions, the rise of ‘anti-hustle’ job postings differs by sector. Nursing and health care lead the way with 136,603 ‘anti-hustle’ job ads. In fact, in health care and nursing, ‘anti-hustle’ job postings (8.9%) outweigh ‘hustle’ job postings (8.6%). However, other sectors have maintained high levels of ‘hustle’ job ads. For example, 44.7% of travel job ads qualified as ‘hustle’ job posts.