How Many Employees Are Job Hunting at Work?

The 9-to-5 Job Hunt

Job searching isn't reserved for evenings and weekends anymore. Many employees are squeezing it into the workday, and not just on their lunch breaks.

More than half of workers (52%) said they spend their lunch break job hunting, but that's not the only time they look for a new job. Many also admitted to searching during random breaks throughout the day (50%), Friday afternoons (27%), and Monday mornings (22%).

Another 17% said they're most likely to look for a new job after receiving negative feedback, with Gen Z leading the way at 24%. Remote employees (17%) were the most likely to browse job listings or conduct interviews during dull meetings, compared to hybrid workers (9%) and those working in the office full-time (6%). A surprising 39% of employees admitted to taking a phone or virtual interview during work hours.

When it comes to whether it's acceptable to job hunt while on the clock, opinions were mixed. Over a quarter of workers (27%) said it was completely justified, a view shared most strongly by Gen Z (46%). A majority (63%) felt it was acceptable in some situations or only slightly unethical. Just 7% believed it was completely wrong, with in-office employees (10%) being twice as likely as hybrid or remote workers (5%) to hold this view.

How Employees Cover Their Tracks

For most employees, job hunting during work hours isn't a high-risk activity. Only 2% say they've been caught, warned, or disciplined for it.

Nearly 3 in 10 workers (28%) said they don't bother hiding their job searches, and Gen X led the way, with 33% admitting to being open about it. Baby boomers were the most likely to take the opposite approach, with 21% using incognito browsing tabs to keep their activity under wraps.

Despite the activity happening under managers' noses, 63% of employees believe their bosses have no idea they're looking elsewhere. This points to a communication gap and possibly a retention issue that leadership isn't seeing coming.

The Real Reasons We Job Hunt at Work

Burnout and dissatisfaction aren't just affecting performance. They're also driving workers to job hunt mid-shift.

The majority of respondents (63%) said stress or burnout was the primary trigger for searching during the workday. Gen Z employees felt this the most, with 73% pointing to emotional exhaustion as their reason for clicking over to job boards. Additionally, 68% of all workers believe their employers aren't doing enough to retain top talent, suggesting that burnout isn't being adequately addressed.

When juggling tasks and job applications, emotions play a role. Hybrid employees were most likely to feel guilty (16%) about their job search, while in-office workers followed at 11%. Remote workers, who may feel more autonomy, reported the least guilt (9%).

Gen Z was the most likely to feel anxious about job hunting at work, yet also the most active in doing it. On average, Gen Z submitted 24.2% of their recent job applications during work hours, followed closely by millennials at 23.8%. Baby boomers averaged 17.8%, while Gen X trailed at 15.2%, showing that younger workers are far more likely to job hunt on the clock.

Time to Rethink Retention?

This study highlights what many employers may be missing. Job hunting is happening during work hours, and often for preventable reasons like burnout, stress, and lack of communication. Employees are planning their next move while still on the clock, and in many cases, they don't feel the need to hide it.

For business owners and managers, it's a reminder to check in with your teams, strengthen engagement, and address workplace satisfaction before your best people decide to move on.

Methodology

We surveyed 799 employed individuals in the U.S. who had searched for a new job within the past six months. Respondents ranged in age from 20 to 73. A majority of participants were millennials (55%), followed by Gen X (31%), Gen Z (12%), and baby boomers (2%). Gender representation included 55% women, 44% men, and 1% non-binary respondents.

Most respondents worked full-time (95%), with smaller segments employed part-time (4%) or as freelancers or contractors (1%). The majority of workers were based in-office or on-site (45%), while 32% worked in hybrid environments and 23% were fully remote.

Respondents represented a range of job levels, including associate (27%), mid-level (25%), and manager roles (21%). Others held entry-level (14%), senior-level (8%), director (3%), executive/C-suite (1%), or business owner (<1%) positions.

The sample also reflected a variety of industries. The top five represented were healthcare (15%), information technology (12%), finance (10%), education (10%), and manufacturing (9%). Other industries included retail, government, food/hospitality, transportation/logistics, marketing/advertising, real estate, and nonprofit sectors, as well as a significant portion (14%) identifying as "something else."

About Clarify Capital

Clarify Capital helps small business owners access flexible funding options, from no-doc business loans to fast business loans. We understand the pressures of running a growing company, including the challenges of hiring and retention. Our goal is to empower entrepreneurs with the financial tools and insights they need to succeed.

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