New research has revealed the UK’s toughest jobs – with firefighters topping the list, and paramedics, farmers and builders not far behind.
- New research finds firefighters have UK’s toughest job, with paramedics, farmers and builders also included among most gruelling roles in the country
- 90% of Brits say tech that can withstand tough jobs is vital in demanding roles, with extreme environments (63%) and hazardous conditions (64%) cited as key challenges
- Our Yorkshire Farm Shepherdess, Amanda Owen partners with Samsung to demonstrate real-world resilience testing of the new Rugged device range, from mucking out to herding sheep
- The new Samsung XCover7 Pro and Tab Active5 Pro Enterprise Edition deliver military-grade durability, water-resistance, long battery life, and push-to-talk functionality – purpose built for frontline and field-based professionals
The poll of 2,000 Brits found paramedics, farmers and armed forces personnel were also cited as those who deserve recognition for doing of the most physically and mentally draining work.
The study was commissioned by Samsung to launch their latest Rugged device range which is designed to thrive in harsh work environments and was judged according to criteria including physical demands, danger and risk, and work environment.
The findings, which also identified police officers (34%), fishermen (16%) and construction workers (15%) among the UK’s toughest workers, underscored a growing demand among workers and employers for tech that can withstand harsh, high-risk environments.
Top 20 Toughest Jobs
- Firefighter (45%)
- Paramedic (44%)
- Surgeon (44%)
- Nurse (37%)
- Police Officer (34%)
- Armed Forces Personnel (28%)
- Care Worker (22%)
- Farmer (20%)
- Teacher (20%)
- Social Worker (18%)
- Fisherman (16%)
- Construction Worker (15%)
- Agricultural Labourer (11%)
- Builder/Bricklayer (9%)
- Underground Utility Worker (9%)
- Scaffolder (6%)
- Mechanic (6%)
- Roofer (6%)
- Refuse Collector (Bin Worker) (5%)
- Train Driver (5%)
The research also revealed that nine in 10 Brits value devices capable of withstanding harsh conditions, citing reducing physical strain through equipment (54%), alerting workers to risks more quickly (53%) and automating repetitive tasks (45%) as ways to ease pressure.
To emphasise the importance of durable technology in tough jobs, Samsung enlisted farmer and shepherdess Amanda Owen to give an insight into the realities of working life on a farm.
From mucking out and herding animals, to operating machinery and navigating unpredictable weather, Amanda showcases how physically demanding farm life can be, highlighting the need for technology that can keep up with resilient workers themselves.
Amanda Owen says, “Farming isn’t for the faint hearted – we’re up before dawn, battling the elements, and it takes real resilience out here. In this environment, our tech needs to be just as tough – anything that can’t handle water or a drop is a liability. We need something rugged on the outside and smart on the inside, that can keep up with the job.”
According to respondents, 63% of people believe for a job to be ‘tough’ it must take place in an extreme environment. 58% of jobs which can be considered challenging also involve working with dangerous equipment, with a further 55% fearing dangerous people.
Two thirds (62%) of Brits agree that tough jobs need more recognition in the UK saying that they play a vital role in keeping the country running (64%), often work long hours with little rest (46%) and face hazardous conditions daily (62%) as to why they deserve more recognition.
The Samsung Rugged range, which includes the Galaxy XCover7 Pro and Tab Active5 Pro, is designed to take on tough, rugged environments, offering water and dust resistance, drop protection, long battery life as well as replaceable batteries, and enhanced touch sensitivity for use in the rain or with gloves.
Annika Bizon, Mobile Experience VP of Product & Marketing, Samsung UK&I, says, “Tough roles demand robust support. Whether it’s maintaining connectivity in the field or ensuring mission-critical tasks aren’t interrupted, having the right tech in place is essential. The Rugged range has been engineered specifically for these environments – combining military-grade durability with the business tools workforces require.”
Almost half (46%) of Brits admitted they don’t feel like they have the resilience to take on a physically demanding role, a figure that dropped to 40% among men.
In contrast, 52% of women believe they have what it takes to handle roles that might require higher levels of emotional and mental capacity.
When it comes to younger generations, 61% of those aged 18–24 have considered taking up physically tough roles when exploring career options. This compares with just 11% of Boomers, who prefer to steer clear of jobs they’d deem tough.
Two in five (38%) agree there’s a misconception that physically demanding jobs don’t require robust technology.
From construction sites and emergency callouts to remote locations and extreme weather – where phone failure simply isn’t an option – Samsung’s Rugged range is built to go the distance with those who keep the country running.
Engineered for endurance, the devices offer military-grade protection, taking up to a 1.8 metre drop with the cover on, ready for whatever the job throws at them.
The programmable hot key allows you to set up shortcuts for frequently used apps, you can transform your device into a walkie-talkie, torch, scanner, payment terminal or whatever you need it to be.
But it’s not just the hardware that’s built for resilience. With the ability to set up Knox Suite swiftly with QuickStart Go, teams can be up and running with business-ready devices in no time, while Samsung Knox security keeps data protected against malware or threats.
And with 3-year warranty, up to 8- years of security maintenance releases and eight generations of operating system updates, plus next-business-day doorstep exchange, Rugged users get the reassurance and support they need, long after deployment.
The Samsung Rugged devices are available to purchase now. For more information, visit: www.samsung.com/uk/business/mobile/rugged