A survey of 2,000 people by Money.co.uk business credit card sought to gain insights into the state of business networking in the UK in 2024. The results showed differing attitudes between generations and genders.
With 39 per cent of respondents reporting that they secured a job opportunity through business networking, it’s clear that networks have their benefits.
The latest data collected by LinkedIn shows that 70 per cent of professionals hired had a connection at their company, and 80 per cent of professionals consider networking vital to their career success.
The survey found, Gen Z benefit the most from going to networking events, with half of them having secured a job this way. Males also benefit more than females, with 44 per cent of males securing a job opportunity through networking compared to 33 per cent of females. In terms of the preferred method of networking, 37 per cent of respondents said in-person events were their favourite, whilst 29 per cent of people said they primarily used online platforms such as LinkedIn.
Figures from an additional 2023 study correlate with this, as LinkedIn was the most widely used social network among internet users in the UK, with over 30 per cent of internet users reporting use of the service.
In terms of self-belief and experience, the over-55 age group come out on top when it comes to networking, with 55 per cent of them stating they face no challenges at all.
When comparing females and males, the survey found that males were significantly more confident in their networking skills, with only 19 per cent stating a lack of confidence and experience as a networking challenge, compared to 29 per cent of females. Time constraints were cited as the largest concern of all, with 29 per cent of respondents marking it as a networking challenge.
Over a quarter (27 per cent) of workers surveyed said they would like to see the current state of business networking in the UK have improved accessibility and inclusivity, as well as better digital tools and platforms.
When you break these figures down by age group, almost 2 in 5 workers surveyed aged 16-24 (38 per cent) and 25-34 (37 per cent) would like to see the current state of business networking in the UK have improved accessibility and inclusivity, compared to 1 in 7 (14 per cent) workers surveyed aged 55+ who said the same.
