London, UK, 04 November 2026 – A century after it was invented by an Iowa newspaper in homage to the blue work shirts of factory workers and farm labourers, the term ‘blue-collar’ appears to be reaching the end of its working life as a fixed career label.
New research from Top Employers Institute shows the boundary between blue-collar and its ‘white-collar’ counterpart has become increasingly permeable in the AI-powered second quarter of the 21st century.
Key takeaways
- Career mobility is becoming more important than traditional job labels.
- Many workers cannot see a clear route to make a move.
- Employers can strengthen retention by making future opportunities visible.
More than three-quarters of blue-collar workers (81%) and almost three-quarters of white-collar workers (74%) have worked in the opposite collar type at some point in their careers.
The research instead points to a new workforce divide emerging across both groups, between employees who can see a realistic route to move between hands-on and office-based roles, and those who are stuck and feel they must stay in their lane.
“This research shows it is dangerous to pigeon-hole workers as ‘blue-collar’ or ‘white-collar’ with entirely separate career paths and structures.”
Sebastiaan ter Horst, Chief Executive Officer, Top Employers Institute
Assembling data from more than 10,000 workers across 15 countries, the Top Employers Institute report, Beyond Collar Colours: Building more mobile, secure, and resilient workforces, challenges the assumption that career progression means moving upwards within the same type of work.
In fact, 59% of what would currently be classified as ‘blue-collar’ workers and 56% of those who would fall into the traditional ‘white-collar’ bracket believe the two types of work are similar in many ways. And almost a third (32%) of all those surveyed said they would prefer the ‘opposite’ type of work if the pay were equal.
However, while 61% believe they could move between hands-on and office-based work within their current organisation, significant barriers remain. Among those who do not see a realistic opportunity to move, 35% of blue-collar workers and 33% of white-collar workers cite the absence of a formal process.
The implications for retention are stark. Despite 85% of workers saying they are ‘satisfied’ in their current role, a significant proportion (41%) are considering leaving or actively looking for a new job.
Sebastiaan ter Horst said: “Employers who think satisfaction with a current job equals an employee having confidence in their future prospects should take note.”
