--- description: In this article, we discuss how surveyed employees in the UK feel about recruitment processes and their experience in the last year. image: https://gdm-localsites-assets-gfprod.imgix.net/images/getapp/og_logo-94fd2a03a6c7a0e54fc0c9e21a1c0ce9.png title: 53% of UK employees prefer flexible working hours --- # 53% of UK employees prefer flexible working hours Canonical: https://www.getapp.co.uk/blog/3151/flexible-working-hours-uk-employees Published on 10/10/2022 | Written by Sukanya Awasthi. ![53% of UK employees prefer flexible working hours](https://images.ctfassets.net/63bmaubptoky/FtzsJre-HAE0roVTrMzSaiqfaqamZfKxuoj-ZIG7NiU/0b97b9f2aef3acc05c0a39d986e2c7dd/Flexible-working-hours-UK-GA-Header.jpg) > How do job seekers feel about recruitment processes in the UK? To find out, GetApp surveyed employees to gauge their sentiments regarding the various elements and steps involved in the process. Read along to learn more about our findings in this second part of a two-part series. ----- ## Article Content How do job seekers feel about recruitment processes in the UK? To find out, GetApp surveyed employees to gauge their sentiments regarding the various elements and steps involved in the process. Read along to learn more about our findings in this second part of a two-part series.In this article44% have applied for 2-4 jobs within the last yearWhich factors are significant while applying for a job?Majority of respondents use Indeed for job searchesHow comfortable are respondents with hiring practices?Majority never faced discrimination during recruitmentWhich factors help in ensuring a smooth recruitment process?Study highlightsEmployees’ expectations from their employers may be changing. What was acceptable among job seekers a few years ago may not be very well received by the same workforce in today’s times. Employees anticipate lasting changes to their working environment along with the renewed focus on workplace health and safety as a result of an increase in hybrid working alternatives, according to a report by Acas. In such a scenario, employers also have the chance to adapt to this change by implementing new, more dynamic worker welfare policies and more effective office setups.In the first part, we looked at how companies addressed labour shortages and faced the implications of the same. We also learnt about the role of technology in automating and simplifying recruitment processes. To learn more about employee expectations and experiences, we surveyed full-time and part-time employees from different parts of the UK. To do that, we collected responses from 829 respondents above the age of 18 and below the age of 65 between 25th August and 15th September 2022. For the full methodology, scroll to the bottom of this article.44% have applied for 2-4 jobs within the last yearThree-quarters of Brits are actively looking for a new job, according to a report by Business Insider. When we asked our survey-takers how many jobs they have applied for in the past one year, 44% stated they have undergone between 2-4 recruitment processes.78% of those who applied for one job got and accepted the roleOf those who said that they have been through one recruitment process in the last year, 78% got a job during that process and accepted it, while 11% got the offer and didn’t accept it. Additionally, a further 11% of the respondents stated that they did not get a offer from that one job application.Salary is the main reason for accepting a job offerWhen we asked candidates who have been through one recruitment process in the last year and accepted their job offer the question “What was the main reason for accepting the offer?”, salary stood at the top choice at 35%. This is followed by factors such as the position itself (16%), flexible working hours (15%), and provision for remote/hybrid work (10%), among other options.88% applied for more than one job and got one or more job offersOf those who said that they have undergone more than one recruitment process in the last year, a combined total of 88% of respondents said that they received one offer (47%) or more than one offer (40%). On the other hand, 12% of them said that they did not get any offer.It is also interesting to note that 71% of respondents who have undergone more than one recruitment process in the last year and got one or more job offers have accepted their offers. 30% said that they did not accept such job offers.Which factors are significant while applying for a job?As we have seen and continue to see through our data, candidates are looking at various facets of job roles and companies when looking for a job. We asked survey takers which are the main elements they would take into consideration while applying for a job, and the majority said that they prefer flexible working hours (53%). How long do respondents think the recruitment process takes?The duration of a particular recruitment process can vary from company to company. When we asked employee respondents, “Based on your experience, on average, how long does a recruitment process take from the first interview until you receive an offer?”, 27% said that it takes between 1 week to less than 2 weeks, followed by 2 weeks to less than 3 weeks (25%), and 3 weeks to less than 4 weeks (20%), among other responses.Majority of respondents use Indeed for job searchesAre the platforms used by recruiters to look for a candidate the same as the platforms used by job seekers to hunt for a job? The answer is no\! Our data from the first part of the series shows that LinkedIn is the most preferred platform for recruitment among surveyed recruiters.When we posed the same question to our employee respondents, as many as 67% have said that they usually look for a job through Indeed. LinkedIn comes in at second place at 38%, followed by social media (27%). 25% state they applied for a job through someone they know, and 23% said they applied through Reed.How comfortable are respondents with hiring practices?Are job seekers comfortable with all the elements involved in a recruitment process? We tried to gauge the comfort level of surveyed employees with respect to various hiring practices and the following answers were recorded: How much time are job seekers willing to spend on a test?When we asked surveyed employees how much time they are willing to spend on a test if they are interested in a position, the majority said they are willing to spend 1-2 days (54%), followed by 3-4 days (29%), and 5-6 days (11%), among other responses.Majority never faced discrimination during recruitmentThe UK government laid out guidelines with respect to discrimination during recruitment. These guidelines also have rules regarding questions which cannot be asked during recruitment and guidance on not favouring any one or more sections of society. When we asked employees if they have ever experienced discrimination during a recruitment process, 77% said that they have never experienced it, followed by 23% who said that they have, in fact, faced it.Age and gender discrimination top the listOf those respondents who said they have faced discrimination during recruitment, a proportion said they have experienced age and gender discrimination (31% each) followed by discrimination on the basis of ethnicity (23%), disability (19%), appearance (19%), parent status (13%), sexual orientation (12%), and religious affiliation (11%), among other responses.What actions have employees taken for discrimination?When we tried to know about the actions taken by those employees who said that they have faced discrimination, 29% stated that they alerted people in that company about what happened, followed by those who withdrew from the recruitment process (29%), and 29% were those who shared it on their social networks and/or specialized sites (for instance Glassdoor and LinkedIn). This is followed by 23% of respondents saying that they shared their experience with their personal network outside of the company.Which factors help in ensuring a smooth recruitment process?When we asked employees to select the top three factors they think account for a smooth and easy recruitment process, 48% said that they would prefer feedback after every stage of the recruitment.Study highlights44% of surveyed employees have applied for 2-4 jobs within the last year while 36% have applied for one job in the last yearOf those who said that they have been through one recruitment process in the last year, 78% got a job in that process and accepted it, while 11% got the offer and didn’t accept it Of those candidates who have been through one recruitment process in the last year and got the offer, 35% said they took the job offer because of the salary offered53% of surveyed employees prefer flexible working hours while applying for a job, while 46% look for growth opportunities  67% of the respondents have said that they use Indeed to look for a job, while 38% use LinkedIn 54% of respondents said that they are willing to spend 1-2 days on a pre-employment test followed by 29% saying that they are willing to spend 3-4 days77% of the survey takers said that they have never experienced discrimination during recruitment, followed by 23% who said that they have faced itOf those who said that they have faced discrimination, 31% said they have experienced age-based discrimination and 31% stated they have faced gender-based discrimination48% of respondents said that they would prefer feedback after every stage of the recruitment process, followed by transparency regarding salary (44%) Looking for recruitment software? Check out our catalogue. ## Disclaimer > MethodologyGetApps’s recruitment process survey for employees was launched between 25th August 2022 and 15th September 2022. It was undertaken by 829 participants from different parts of the UK. For the purpose of this article, we have focused on employees for the second part of a two-part survey. The criteria for selecting the participants are as follows:Resident of the United KingdomAbove 18 years of age and below the age of 65Employed either full-time or part-timeWork in a company which has between 2-250 employeesHas been through a recruitment process in the last yearGetApps’s recruitment process survey for employers was launched between 1st September 2022 to 7th September 2022. It was undertaken by 286 participants from different parts of the UK. The criteria for selecting the participants are as follows:Resident of the United KingdomAbove 18 years of ageEmployed full-time or part-timeWork in a company of 2-250 employeesWork in the HR departmentBelong to one of the following designations within the organisation: chief human resources officer (CHRO) or equivalent, vice president of HR, HR director, HR manager, HR generalist, HR associate, and HR specialistUsually perform tasks related to recruiting people for their company ## About the author ### Sukanya Awasthi Sukanya Awasthi is a content analyst for Capterra, covering emerging technology trends with a focus on retail, construction and ERP. With an educational background in Computer Science, she brings 8 years of hands-on experience to her writing, translating intricate technical concepts into accessible and informative insights. Sukanya’s research and analysis is informed by nearly 200,000 authentic user reviews on Capterra and over 40,000 interactions between Capterra software advisors and software buyers. Sukanya also regularly analyzes market sentiment by conducting surveys of business leaders in the construction space, as well as retail leaders and consumers, so she can provide the most up-to-date and helpful information to small and midsize businesses purchasing software or services. Her work has been featured in Financial Express, Economic Times, and Bloomberg Quint, among other publications. Outside of work, she likes to spend time with her loved ones and her two dogs. ## Related Categories - [Accounting Software](https://www.getapp.co.uk/directory/236/accounting/software) - [CRM Software](https://www.getapp.co.uk/directory/230/crm/software) - [Employee Engagement Software](https://www.getapp.co.uk/directory/715/employee-engagement/software) - [Performance Appraisal Software](https://www.getapp.co.uk/directory/260/performance-management-appraisal/software) - [Project Management Software](https://www.getapp.co.uk/directory/332/project-management/software) ## Related Articles - [4 legal case management software platforms for law firms](https://www.getapp.co.uk/blog/2751/legal-case-management-software-solutions-law-firms) - [68% of web shoppers say data collection is unavoidable online](https://www.getapp.co.uk/blog/3222/data-collection-unavoidable-for-web-shoppers) - [The 4 best-rated visitor management systems for UK users](https://www.getapp.co.uk/blog/3044/best-rated-visitor-management-systems-uk) - [What harms digital trust reputations for UK companies?](https://www.getapp.co.uk/blog/3619/what-harms-digital-trust-most) - [5 Tips for a successful email marketing strategy in times of crisis](https://www.getapp.co.uk/blog/1529/tips-email-marketing-strategy-during-coronavirus) ## Links - [View on GetApp](https://www.getapp.co.uk/blog/3151/flexible-working-hours-uk-employees) - [Blog](https://www.getapp.co.uk/blog) - [Home](https://www.getapp.co.uk/) ----- ## Structured Data