HR Statistics for 2023

We’ve compiled statistics from various reputable sources to help job seekers and hiring managers alike better understand the work landscape in 2023. Our HR statistics cover the following areas:

1. Job searching
2. Recruiting
3. Remote working
4. Employee engagement
5. Quitting

Job Search Statistics

From job seeker demographics to hiring logistics in 2023, we provide data below that spans the job search process.

General job search statistics

• The US workforce (individuals aged 15–65) is expected to shrink by 3.2% between 2026 and 2036¹.

• Approximately 5.2 million people currently want a job (as of December 2022)².

• An average of 27 people applied for a single job posting in 2021, down from 53 applicants per job posting in 2020³.

• In 2022, 2.5% of US workers changed employers per month. This is an average of 4 million people per month switching jobs⁴.

• 1 in 5 workers say they’re somewhat or very likely to look for a new job in the next 6 months⁴.

• 37% of workers believe finding a new job will be somewhat or very difficult⁴.

• Of people who left their job in the first quarter of 2022, 34% were at a new job, 18% were unemployed and looking for work, and 48% were out of the labor force (not looking for work) when surveyed the month following their departure⁴.

• 23% of respondents have switched industries since the pandemic began⁵.

• 46% of workers surveyed in 2022 reported having reskilled for a new industry in the past year⁵.

• In 2022, 41% of workers planned to have a second income source/side hustle⁵.

• 60% of respondents cited needing money as the top reason for their side hustle, compared to 23% of respondents who primarily consider their side hustle a passion project⁵.

Who is looking for a new job?

• In the first quarter of 2022, an average of 2.9 million women and 2.5 million men entered the labor force per month⁴.

• 29% of workers who report having poor or fair personal finances (compared to 15% who report having a good or excellent personal financial situation) searched for a new job in 2022⁴.

• Black and Hispanic workers had a 3.1% rate of job changing per month in 2022, compared to white workers at 2.2% and Asian workers at 2.1%⁴.

• Workers with less than a high school diploma were the most likely to change their jobs in 2022, changing at a rate of 3.5% per month, compared to high school graduates at 2.8% and workers holding at least a Bachelor’s degree at 2.1%⁴.

• 45% of workers who currently have low job security (compared to 14% of workers who have high job security) looked for a new job in 2022⁴.

• Workers aged 16–24 were the most likely to change their jobs in 2022 compared to other age groups (at 4.4% per month). The next group most likely to change jobs was 25–34 year olds at 2.8%. The group least likely to change jobs was workers over 65 at 1.4%⁴.

• The groups of workers most likely to be actively seeking or planning to look for a new job in 2022 worked in tech (53% of tech workers), manufacturing (49%), education (48%), and retail service (46%)⁵.

Why are people searching for new jobs?

• 27% of job seekers cited compensation as the top reason they’re looking for a new job. And 20% said they’re looking for a new job for better growth opportunities. Other top reasons for finding new work include flexibility to work from home (16%), work/life balance (16%), and health benefits (15%)⁵.

• The percentage of job seekers aged 25–54 citing higher pay as the reason for their job search was nearly double that of the second highest reason (~30.5% higher pay vs. ~16% wanting to change their career path)¹.

• From April 2021 to March 2022, the median worker who changed employers saw a 9.7% increase in their pay from a year earlier while the median worker who stayed with their same employer saw a 1.7% decrease in their pay⁴.

The job search process

• Workers named the top three pain points during the job search⁵:

• • available jobs were too low-paying (46% of respondents)
  • not getting any interviews (42%)
  • non-responsive hiring managers (35%)

Other job search frustrations included⁵:

• • difficulty finding the right jobs to apply for (31%)
  • the stress of the overall job-seeking process (28%)
  • being judged by algorithms instead of hiring managers (28%)
  • deceiving job descriptions (27%)
  • a lack of jobs in their preferred profession (26%)

• 20% of survey respondents said that writing and updating job materials was the most frustrating aspect of their job search⁵.

• Workers find job openings through online job boards (59% of respondents), friends (46%), social media sites like LinkedIn and Facebook (39%), employer career sites (33%), professional connections (25%), and career fairs (23%)⁵.

• The most used job boards in 2022 were Indeed (52% of respondents), LinkedIn (17%), Facebook (9%), and CareerBuilder (6%)⁵.

• 32% of Gen Z job seekers do their job searching with a mobile device or app (compared to 22% across all age groups)⁶.

Recruiting Statistics

The Great Resignation underscores one of the biggest challenges in recruitment: mismatched expectations between employers and employees. These statistics will help you — no matter which side of the interview table you’re on — to better understand and manage recruitment in 2023.

Recruiting challenges

• While 58% of US recruiters are confident they’ll find the right candidates for open positions, 36% and 5% of US recruiters are somewhat confident or not confident, respectively⁶.

• 9 of 10 employers report struggling to fill positions because of a skills gap⁶.

• 29% of employers believe that the skills gap between the roles to be filled and the applicant pool increased in 2022 over the previous year⁶.

• 34% of recruiters for white-collar jobs struggle to find applicants with matching skills⁶.

• Employers report that the top hard skills applicants struggle to match are information technology (IT) skills and strategic planning. The top soft skills gaps are in teamwork and communication⁶.

• In 2022, different industries faced various recruiting challenges. A key challenge of the technology sector was assessing WFH productivity. The leisure and hospitality industry struggled to filter through increased applicants. The finance and engineering sectors faced an updated candidate pool⁶.
• To recruit qualified applicants among stiff competition, companies plan to make roles more flexible (37% of companies), increase benefits and perks (35%), offer skills training (32%), and increase salary and wages (32%)⁶.

  

• On average, 24% of workers are skeptical about the promises companies make regarding job expectations, benefits, and culture. Millennials (workers aged 25–34) are the biggest skeptics of companies’ promises at 28%. Next most skeptical is Gen Z (aged 18–24) at 26%. Skepticism decreases with age, as only 20% of workers aged 55–67 expressed doubts about company promises⁶.

• Employers and candidates don’t match on their top priorities. In order of importance, candidates were most looking for salary protection/fair compensation, bonuses, healthcare benefits, flexible work schedules, and PTO in 2022. In contrast, employers were most advertising healthcare benefits, then PTO, flexible work schedules, remote work flexibility, and salary protection/fair compensation⁶.

• While 44% of employers are prioritizing remote flexibility, only 24% of job seekers are looking for it⁶.

Recruitment from the hiring manager’s perspective

• The top 3 hard skills employers want are IT, strategic planning, and operations skills⁶.

• The top 3 soft skills employers want are teamwork, communication, and critical thinking⁶.

• The top factors that made applicants stand out in 2022 were their interview presence, their relevant work or internship experience, and how well their skills matched the role⁶.

• Almost half of employers (46%) no longer consider job hopping to be a red flag when screening applicants⁶.

• 46% of employers viewed gaps on a resume as acceptable (rather than a red flag) in 2022, compared to 38% of employers who thought so in 2021⁶.

• Living outside the company’s geographic area shifted from a red flag to acceptable for 42% of employers in 2022, compared to 38% of employers who held that opinion in 2021⁶.

• 50% of employers think candidates need to articulate their skills better⁶.

• A college degree is not as important as it once was — employers ranked a college degree as the 8th most important factor that makes a candidate stand out in 2022 (down from 7th most important in 2021)⁶.

• How well an applicant did in their classes is also becoming less important to employers. Hiring managers ranked GPA/grades as the 12th most important in 2022 (down from 10th in 2021) among factors that make applicants stand out⁶.

• 63% of employers are willing to hire and train candidates with transferable skills⁶.

• Employers say the most effective resources for finding candidates for their last 3–5 hires include⁶:

• • personal connections (34% of employers)
  • job board postings (29%)
  • candidates’ online profiles (28%)
  • networking (27%)
  • posting on a career site or the company’s site (27%)
  • resume database searches (24%)

• 42% of employers believe that flexible work arrangements give them a recruiting advantage and help them retain talent⁶.

• The number of US job postings on Indeed offering signing bonuses in July 2022 (5.2%) was more than triple what they were in July 2019¹.

Recruitment from the job seeker’s perspective

• Job seekers want employers to stop taking into account applicants’ social media (37% of respondents), resume gaps (35%), and cover letters (31%)⁵.

• 33% of job seekers wish employers wouldn’t ghost them⁵.

• 19% of respondents said they’ve ghosted an employer during the hiring process⁵.

• Workers’ top conditions from employers include higher compensation (67% of respondents), flexibility and autonomy (49%), and long-term job security (47%)⁵.

Also important to workers are⁵:

• • praise, respect, and recognition (39% named these as what they most want)
  • 100% remote work (31%)
  • promotions (26%)
  • learning and development opportunities (26%)

• Up from 38% of respondents in 2021, 53% of respondents in 2022 said compensation was a top consideration in deciding to accept a job offer⁵.

• In 2022, respondents reported the top reasons for declining a job offer in the past 12 months as compensation (38% of respondents), location (27%), and no flexibility to work remotely (22%)⁵.

• Compared to 2021 when 58% of respondents said they’d decline a job offer due to unclear or no pandemic protocols, only 14% of respondents said they’d do so in 2022⁵.

• Workers in different industries have different top values⁵:

• • 56% of tech workers want flexibility and autonomy (9% higher than other industries)
  • 55% of manufacturing workers want long-term security (9% higher than other industries)
  • 52% of healthcare workers want praise, respect, and recognition

• 71% of workers felt comfortable negotiating their salary in 2022 (an increase of 19% from 2018)⁵.

The recruiting process

• 85% of Fortune 500 companies don’t have an optimized job application process⁵.

• Only 30% of applicants who start applications with Fortune 500 companies finish their applications⁵.

• In 2022, the top reasons candidates had a positive experience with recruiters were attributed to an easy to schedule interview (52% of respondents), an easy job application process (51%), and great communication, such as prompt feedback (47%)⁵.

Other top reasons for a positive recruiter-candidate experience included⁵:

• • a short hiring process (35% of respondents)
  • no cover letter requirement (25%)
  • good explanation of the company’s values, vision, and culture (23%)

• 89% of employers recruited virtually in 2022⁶.

• 19% of employers prefer virtual to in-person interviews⁶.

• Young recruiters are the biggest proponents of virtual interviews, with 61% of Gen Z recruiters preferring virtual interviews (compared to 26% of Millenial, 13% of Gen X, and 6% of Boomer recruiters)⁶.

• 45% of employers say candidates ask about health and safety protocols in 2022⁶.

• 75% of Gen Z recruiters communicate with candidates by email vs. 50% that do so via text message⁶.

• Of candidates who’ve scheduled a job interview with a recruiter over text message, 56% said they prefer texting over email or phone communication⁵.

• 37% of job seekers have had a screening or interview via video call⁵.

• Of the job seekers who’ve interviewed over video, 59% preferred a video call over a phone call or an in-person interview⁵.

• Down from 44% in 2020, 28% of candidates in 2022 preferred recruiters to contact them by email⁵.

• Up from 25% in 2020, 28% of candidates in 2022 preferred recruiters to contact them by phone⁵.

• 22% of workers have interacted with a chatbot during the recruiting or interview process. Of those, 63% believe the chatbot improved the experience⁵.

Remote Work Statistics

While incidence of remote work has decreased since the start of the pandemic, it hasn’t completely gone away either. These statistics paint a picture of where remote work is heading in 2023.

Employee views on remote work

• When asked about their ideal work situation⁵, workers wanted:

• • fully remote work (30%)
  • in-office work only (26%)
  • hybrid work with time spent 50/50 in-office and remote (21%)
  • the flexibility to decide when and where to work (14%)
  • to be remote 1–2 days per week (10%)

• 40% of job seekers would accept a lower salary to be able to work remotely⁵.

• More women than men are motivated by remote work when searching for a new job. A total of 16% of female job seekers aged 25–54 want a remote job, compared to 11% of same aged male job seekers¹.

The status of remote work in 2023

• 32% of companies surveyed in 2022 said they were likely to expand hybrid and remote work in the coming year⁷.

• In 2022, 39% of workers were fully in-office, 25% were fully remote, and 16% were hybrid⁵.

• In the US, 46% of employers think hybrid work is the future while 35% of employers think work will be fully in-person and 19% believe work will be fully remote in the future⁶.

• Approximately 8.6% of US job postings in 2022 were remote, compared to 2.9% in 2019¹.

• Marketing job postings offering remote work more than tripled between 2019 and 2022 (7.1% in September 2019 vs. 27% in September 2022)¹.

• 37% of US jobs can be done completely remotely⁸.

• 51% of companies survey employees on their preferences for remote work⁷.

• 62% of companies provide training for managers on how to support remote and hybrid employees⁷.

• 84% of companies ensure remote and on-site employees receive the same company updates⁷.

• 17% of companies track outcomes, such as promotion and attrition rates, for remote and hybrid employees⁷.

Employee Engagement Statistics

By examining statistics surrounding worker satisfaction and mental health, managerial styles, and pay, we can see that workers want and need employers to do more for their employees.

General employee engagement statistics

• 86% of people reported to Indeed that how they feel at work impacts how they feel at home¹.

• Low engagement costs the global economy US$7.8 trillion per year⁹.

• Globally, 21% of employees feel engaged at work⁹.

• 33% of workers in the US and Canada feel engaged on the job⁹.

Management

• 43% of employees say their manager shows interest in their employees’ careers⁷.

• 50% of employees say they have a manager who makes sure employees get credit for their work⁷.

• 60% of employees say their manager gives them helpful feedback⁷.

• 53% of employees have managers who encourage respectful and inclusive team behavior⁷.

• 62% of employees have managers who check on employees’ personal well-being⁷.

• 38% of employees have managers who make sure their employees’ workload is manageable⁷.

Worker satisfaction and mental health

• 35% of workers report that they have good work/life balance⁵.

• 31% of workers report that their employer provides clear communication, and 24% of workers say they get continuous performance feedback⁵.

• 40% of employees report an increased workload due to high employee turnover at the end of 2021 and going into 2022⁵.

• 65% of workers believe it takes less than 1 month to determine if a new organization is a good culture fit⁵.

• In 2021, 44% of employees surveyed from around the world said they experienced stress the day prior to being surveyed⁹.

• 50% of workers in the US and Canada reported feeling stressed for much of the day prior to being surveyed⁹.

• In 2022, 82% of workers surveyed reported experiencing burnout at their current job¹⁰.

• Employees who experience consistently high levels of burnout are 23% more likely to visit the emergency room⁹.

• 63% of workers say the pandemic has caused them to pay more attention to their mental health⁵.

• 48% of workers feel comfortable disclosing their mental health challenges to leadership and/or HR⁵.

Worker Compensation

• Only 37% of workers think they’re paid a fair amount⁵.

• 51% of US and Canadian workers said they’re living comfortably on their present income in 2021⁹.

• 60% of US workers reported a wage increase over the previous year (2022 vs. 2021) when they changed employers, compared to 47% of US workers who reported a wage increase but stayed with the same employer⁴.

• 56% of workers with an increased workload due to high employee turnover were not compensated for their extra work⁵.

• 28% of workers surveyed in 2022 reported asking for a raise in the past year. Of workers who asked for a raise, 72% received a pay increase⁵.

Work benefits and perks

• 22% of workers report that their employer provides wellness offerings⁵.

• 35% of workers report that their employer provides flexible work arrangements⁵.

• Down from 53% in 2021, 40% of workers in 2022 reported that their employer offers mental health benefits and resources⁵.

• Workers expect their job to provide⁵:

• • healthcare (66% of respondents)
  • a 401k program (49%)
  • 401k matching (40%)
  • bonuses (40%)
  • paid family leave (39%)
  • remote work (32%)
  • mental health resources (30%)

• The percentage of US job postings advertising retirement plans, health insurance, and paid time off approximately doubled between January 2019 and May 2022¹.

• 35% of respondents said their employer doesn’t offer learning and development opportunities⁵.

• The most common development opportunities employers offer are⁵:

• • paying for continuing education (27% of employers)
  • tuition reimbursement (23%)
  • compensation for conferences (20%)
  • reimbursement for tools and software (17%)
  • succession planning (16%)
  • one-on-one mentoring (14%)

• 45% of companies have budgets for team bonding activities⁷.

Quitting Statistics

• In 2021, an average of 2.5 million women and 2.1 million men per month left the labor force⁴.

• In any given month in 2022, an average of 53% of women who separated from their last job (compared to 43% of men in the same situation) ended up leaving the labor force⁴.

• The US unemployment rate as of December 2022 is 3.5%².

• 1 in 3 workers would quit a job without having another job lined up⁵.

• 1 in 3 new hires would leave a job during the first 90 days⁵.

• Of people who left a job within the first 90 days, 41% did so because the day-to-day role was not as expected, 35% attributed leaving to a bad experience, 34% said company culture was not as expected, and 32% left because of unsatisfactory leadership⁵.

• 35% of workers who asked for a raise and were denied ended up leaving their job as a result⁵.

References

1. Indeed & Glassdoor. (2023). Indeed & Glassdoor’s Hiring and Workplace Trends Report 2023. https://www.glassdoor.com/research/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/Indeed-Glassdoors-2023-Hiring-Workplace-Trends-Report-Glassdoor-Blog-1.pdf
2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022). The Employment Situation — December 2022. News Release, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t01.htm
3. Echevarria, D. (2022). How many applicants do you really need to make one hire? https://www.careerplug.com/blog/applicant-to-hire-ratio-benchmark/
4. Kochhar, R., Parker, K., and Igielnik, R. (2022). Majority of U.S. workers changing jobs are seeing real wage gains. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2022/07/28/majority-of-u-s-workers-changing-jobs-are-seeing-real-wage-gains/
5. Employ. (2022). 2022 Job Seeker Nation Report: Dynamic Motivations of Modern Workers. https://web.jobvite.com/rs/328-BQS-080/images/2022-12-2022JobSeekerNationReport.pdf
6. Monster. (2022). The Future of Work. https://media.monster.com/marketing/2022/The-Future-of-Work-2022-Global-Report.pdf
7. McKinsey & Company. (2022). Women in the Workplace 2022. https://wiw-report.s3.amazonaws.com/Women_in_the_Workplace_2022.pdf
8. Dey, M., Frazis, H., Loewenstein, M.A., and Sun, H. (2020). Ability to work from home: evidence from two surveys and implications for the labor market in the COVID-19 pandemic. Monthly Labor Review, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2020/article/ability-to-work-from-home.htm
9. Gallup. (2022). State of the Global Workplace 2022 Report: The Voice of the World’s Employees. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace-2022-report.aspx
10. Tay, R. (2022). Why a 4-day work week won’t decrease burnout (survey data). https://resumegenius.com/blog/career-advice/4-day-work-week-burnout