7th 'The Grass is Greener' Survey: 41.3% Feel Envy Toward Friends' and Acquaintances' Employers, an 8.0-Point Increase from Previous Survey

Risk Monster Inc. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Taichi Fujimoto; hereinafter 'Risumon'), a provider of credit management cloud services for corporate members, has released the results of its 7th 'The Grass is Greener (Company Edition)' survey.

Survey Background

There is a well-known expression, 'the grass is always greener on the other side,' which refers to the tendency to perceive others' possessions as better than one's own. This survey investigates how 'greener' the workplaces of friends and acquaintances appear compared to one's own, based on a questionnaire survey of 800 men and women aged 20 to 59.

Survey Summary

● 41.3% of respondents have felt envious of friends' or acquaintances' workplaces—an 8.0-point increase from the previous survey

● The most envied employers—'local public servants,' 'national public servants,' and 'Toyota Motor'—have maintained the top three positions for seven consecutive surveys

● The top reason for envy is 'high salary' (63.9%), followed by 'comprehensive benefits' and 'company stability,' with the top three reasons unchanged since the survey began

● Individuals with lower satisfaction toward their own jobs and workplaces are more likely to feel envy toward others' workplaces

▼ For full survey details, visit the 'Risumon Research' website:

https://www.riskmonster.co.jp/study/research/

▼ Video version available on 'YouTube Risumon Channel'

https://youtu.be/mg-0slu3WjM

Survey Overview

・Survey Name: 7th 'The Grass is Greener (Company Edition)' Survey

・Method: Online survey

・Region: Nationwide

・Period: March 5 (Thu) – March 6 (Fri), 2026

・Respondents: 800 individuals aged 20–59 (male and female)

・Valid Responses: 800 samples

Survey Results

(1) Approximately 60% do not feel envy toward others' workplaces, but the trend continues to decline

When asked whether they have ever felt envy toward friends' or acquaintances' workplaces, 41.3% answered 'yes' (hereinafter 'envious'), while 58.8% answered 'no' (hereinafter 'not envious'), indicating that about 60% do not feel envy. However, the 'not envious' group decreased by 7.9 points from the 6th survey in 2023, and has declined for three consecutive surveys since the 5th, showing a rising trend in those who feel envy.

When analyzed by respondent attributes such as gender, marital status, and company size, significantly higher rates of 'envious' responses were observed among 'females' (48.0%), 'married individuals' (46.2%), and those working at 'venture companies' (54.5%), indicating a higher tendency toward envy in these groups. (Chart A)

Chart A

(2) 'Local public servants,' 'national public servants,' and 'Toyota Motor' rank top three for the seventh consecutive time

Among those who feel envy toward others' workplaces, the most envied employers were 'local public servants' (14.7%), 'national public servants' (12.8%), 'Toyota Motor' (3.9%), 'Itochu Corporation' (3.1%), and 'NTT Docomo' (2.9%). 'Local public servants,' 'national public servants,' and 'Toyota Motor' have ranked in the top three for seven consecutive surveys since the first, reflecting strong admiration for public sector jobs and Toyota's perceived stability as a private company. (Chart B)

Chart B

(3) Top reasons for envy: 'high salary,' 'benefits,' 'company stability'

When asked why they feel envious of others' employers, 'high salary' (63.9%) was the most common reason, followed by 'comprehensive benefits' (44.5%), 'company stability' (38.5%), 'easy access to leave' (27.2%), and 'high company recognition' (27.0%). The top five reasons maintained the same ranking as the previous survey. Notably, the top three reasons have dominated the rankings for seven consecutive surveys since the survey began, indicating enduring factors that drive envy.

Moreover, 'high salary' ranked as the top reason across all income brackets, suggesting that high income is a major factor in feeling envy, regardless of one's own income level. (Chart C)

Chart C

(4) Lower job satisfaction correlates with higher envy toward others' workplaces

When assessing satisfaction with their own jobs and workplaces, over 60% of those who answered 'not satisfied' also reported feeling envy, indicating a clear tendency for dissatisfied employees to envy others' workplaces. (Chart D)

Chart D

When analyzing envy among 'not satisfied' respondents by attributes, 'females' (51.3%), '30s' (52.6%), 'married individuals' (50.8%), and 'public servants' (53.3%) were the top categories—matching the highest responses in Chart A—suggesting that dissatisfaction significantly influences overall envy levels. (Chart E)

Chart E

Overall Assessment

This survey shows that while the percentage of people who have felt envy remains below those who haven't, the 'envious' group has increased for three consecutive surveys.

Meanwhile, the reasons for envy remain largely unchanged. 'High salary' continues to be the primary driver of envy, regardless of one's personal income level.

Individuals dissatisfied with their own jobs are more likely to view others' workplaces as more desirable.

While low job satisfaction does not directly imply workplace problems, it may indicate that internal working conditions are elevating the relative appeal of other companies, creating a 'greener grass' effect. To help employees appreciate their own workplace, companies should continuously improve wages, benefits, and work environment.

About Risumon Research

'Risumon Research' refers to original reports independently conducted by Risumon. Past surveys include 'Japanese Companies Expected to Survive 100 Years,' 'Companies Perceived as Environmentally Conscious,' and 'Would You Marry Someone Working at This Company?' Going forward, Risumon will continue conducting diverse surveys on corporate activities to inform credit ratings, generate new research targets, and develop new services.

Risk Monster Inc.

Established in September 2000. In December of the same year, it launched outsourcing services for credit management operations using the internet and began its ASP cloud service business. Since then, focusing on corporate membership, the company has expanded into education-related services (subscription-based employee training service 'CyberX Univ.'), business portal site services (groupware, etc.), BPO services, and overseas operations (Limokei (Shang