More than half of workers looking for new role

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More than half of the UK’s workforce is either actively or casually looking for a new role, according to a new report from LinkedIn, although many are not optimistic about their prospects.

One third of workers are actively job seeking, 26% are casually looking for a new job or project work and 30% are “open to the right offer” despite not looking to move on from their current position.

Just 13% of workers are not looking for new employment opportunities right now, LinkedIn’s latest Workforce Confidence Index revealed.

A wave of employees are expected to enter the jobs market over the coming weeks as the furlough scheme comes to an end and employers consider redundancy. One third of firms are reportedly considering reducing their headcount over the next three months.

In a Commons Treasury Committee evidence hearing yesterday, MPs were warned that redundancies in the hospitality industry could soar as more than 900,000 people in the sector remained on full-time furlough and a further 400,000 on part-time furlough.

Many people looking for a new job are not confident they will be successful. A quarter told LinkedIn that they felt the number of jobs on offer over the next two weeks would fall, yet 45% plan to increase the number of applications they are sending out and 51% plan to spend more time sending out job applications.

More than a third (35%) think their chances of hearing back from a recruiter will decrease over the next fortnight, and 33% expect a reduction in the number of job interviews they are invited to.

Confidence among those not currently in employment is at a three-month low with a score of -11. LinkedIn’s Workforce Confidence Index scale ranges from -100 to +100.

The overall confidence score across the UK workforce – including full time, part time and self-employed workers – is 14. This is the same as last month, but a two point decrease from that recorded in July.

Asked about their working arrangements, 31% have returned to their workplace full time and 18% spent some time working remotely. Forty-five per cent of employees continued to work from home full time.

Some 35% of people are concerned their professional growth or career progression would slow while working remotely.

LinkedIn’s survey involved 1,012 workers and took place between 7 and 20 September.