Research commissioned by reed.co.uk has found one in four UK workers are opting to look for a new job during their lunch break. The habit is particularly common among younger people with a third (33 per cent) of those between 22 and 35 admitting to applying for other jobs while at their desk working compared with 22 per cent of respondents overall.
In contrast, older workers are more likely to search for new jobs after work hours, with 58 per cent of over 55s searching on their return home from work. The discrepancy could be attributed to the methods different generations of workers use to job hunt. Under 35s are significantly more likely to use their phones to search for jobs (43 per cent), compared to over 50s (13 per cent).
The most common reason behind workers applying for a new job was a salary increase (41 per cent), followed by a desire for a fresh start (31 per cent). More than 1 in 4 looked ‘to see what’s on the market’, and 23 per cent wanted to work for another company.
“For most of us, our mobiles are never too far from reach, so it’s not surprising that we often turn to our phones to check out new jobs – even at our desks,” comments Mark Rhodes, marketing director at reed.co.uk. “But if you’re one of those wishing you were somewhere else every day you get into work, it’s probably the right time to move on. Ideally before your boss finds out.”
