Nearly half of UK employees are looking for a new job at any one time,
research reveals.
A survey by recruitment group Reed, of more than 800 people of working age
across the UK, shows 31 per cent are passively job-seeking by staying aware of
the job market, while an additional 14 per cent are actively seeking new jobs.
People in the 25 to 34 year age group are most aware of new job
opportunities, with a total of 58 per cent either passively or actively
job-seeking at the moment.
Younger people, aged 18-to-25 years old, are most likely to be looking for
new employment opportunities, with 23 per cent of respondents actively
job-seeking, compared to 21 per cent of those aged 25 to 34.
James Reed, chief executive at Reed, said: "As talent becomes
increasingly mobile, the individuals in most demand can pick and choose what
they do, and move at will. Organisations need to ensure they have a
highly-developed and articulated sense of what makes them attractive to people
in order to retain their best staff."
Reed said the internet has made it easier for people to stay in touch with
the job market than ever before, with half of those surveyed using the web when
researching jobs.
Interest in the job market only drops below half of the workforce once
people reach the age of 45. In the 45 to 54 age group, 44 per cent say they
stay aware of new opportunities.
This drops to 17 per cent among those aged 55 to 64.
Overall, men are more in touch with the job market than women, with 52 per
cent either passively or actively job-seeking compared to 37 per cent of women.
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By Quentin Reade
