According to CV-Library's Candidate Behaviour Barometer 2025, there has been a significant shift in how job seekers view remote working. It's now the least popular option, with only 16% of candidates preferring it. Meanwhile, hybrid working has taken the top spot with 40% choosing it as their preference, and interestingly, full-time office work is actually gaining ground at 22%.
What's driving this change? Career progression concerns, plain and simple. Over half (58%) of workers now believe being in the office helps their career development. They're citing things like learning from colleagues, better opportunities for promotion, and stronger professional relationships. The pandemic novelty of working from home has clearly worn off, with candidates increasingly worried about loneliness, weakened working relationships, and reduced mentoring opportunities when they're fully remote.
The generational breakdown is also interesting. Gen Z is most positive about office life, with 66% saying it helps their career growth. Even Gen X, who lead on hybrid preferences at 44%, still see the value in office presence, with only 14% wanting to work fully remotely.
The key priorities for today's job seekers? Work-life balance tops the list at 40%, followed by location at 19%. This aligns perfectly with hybrid working, typically three days in the office, becoming the sweet spot for most candidates across all generations.
We're seeing a similar trend across Dorset and Hampshire. Candidates are voting with their feet when it comes to flexible working arrangements.
If your vacancy has been sitting unfilled because you're insisting on full-time office presence or haven't adjusted your working patterns to match what candidates actually want, you're losing talent to competitors who have. The data is clear, and so is the solution. Whether you're hiring or considering a move, success comes down to being realistic about expectations and working with people who'll tell you the truth about the market. That's exactly what we do, so pick up the phone and have that conversation.