Almost half of workers would turn down a job if it didn’t offer flexible working

A new survey has revealed that nearly half of UK workers would reject a job offer if the business didn’t provide flexible working hours.

This is concerning news for the many businesses wanting their workers to return to the office on a more full-time basis.

The Robert Half ‘2024 Salary Guide’ found that while the majority (63%) of workers cite salary as a reason to turn down a job offer, 47% say that a lack of flexibility is at the top of their list.

The data also shows that 75% of employers are very or somewhat concerned about staff attraction and retention, with 29% of workers indicating that they are apprehensive about the impact of heavy and increased workloads on peer retention.

Kris Harris, Regional Director – UK Technology Solutions, at Robert Half, commented on the findings, “It’s an incredibly complex hiring landscape at the moment and while salaries remain a significant driver of career moves, candidates are looking for a broader package that gives them more than just a good pay packet.

“As the debate around flexible working grows and news reports continue to highlight those brands that are enforcing office returns, the fact that almost half of workers would turn down a job due to a lack of flexible working options is a concern.”

Kris added, “With such a significant proportion of the UK’s employers concerned about their ability to recruit and retain talent, what candidates want needs to take precedence over what employers would prefer to some degree at least. Inflated salaries aren’t feasible long term – indeed the study also showed that 22% of businesses don’t plan to offer pay increases – but flexible working is.

“Although the recruitment market is slowing, with the labour market data from the Office for National Statistics showing sustained falls in jobs over recent months, skills shortages still remain. In this environment, candidates continue to be able to command more, and right now that includes flexibility.

“The figures around excessive workloads are also an issue if firms are to retain the key talent that has been so difficult to attract. Burnout is a real issue in the workforce and these latest statistics suggest this isn’t going to go away on its own.

“While there does need to be a longer-term solution to excessive workloads, in the interim, the flexible labour market can play a significant role in managing workloads and employers should seriously consider where it may be best to invest in contract staff to retain full time employees.”

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