Recruiters, your career break bias is showing

Extended career breaks – whether for sick leave or a planned adventure – and changing roles quickly are on the rise among young workers.

New research from Barnett Waddingham has revealed that there is a huge shift between long-held career norms and how younger workers approach their careers.

What used to be red flags for recruiters are now becoming accepted career choices. This begs the question as to whether recruitment professionals – and even HR teams – must also change their views.

Changing priorities

The research revealed that a quarter (28%) of 18-24 year-olds have already taken an extended career break (also called a quarter life gap year). The figure was slightly lower for 25-34 year-olds  at 22%.

The team also found that two-thirds (66%) of 18-24 year-olds have taken extended leave due to illness in the past five years. Reasons listed included anxiety; stress; depression; and burnout. The percentages got lower with age, though. In the 55+ age group, 50% said that they had taken time off for anxiety, as compared to 79% of 18-24 year olds.

This is measure of the importance of younger employees place on wellbeing, flexibility, and personal fulfilment, say the researchers.

The survey revealed not only how work norms are changing now but also gave a glimpse into the future. A growing number of younger workers are planning career breaks or considering stepping away from their careers entirely.

Job swaps

The survey touched upon how long people will stay in a role. It revealed that younger employees will move on if a job does not meet their expectation for a work-life balance. This could even be a decision that impacts them financially; but the priority is their health.

More than a quarter (26%) of 25-34 year-olds having already sought a lower-paying job for this reason. A quarter of 18-24 year olds (24%) has also made this decision, with 30% planning to in the near future.

Julia Turney, Partner and Head of Platform and Benefits at Barnett Waddingham, says: “We are witnessing a fundamental redefining of people’s attitudes towards work. Younger workers are rejecting the traditional corporate ladder, while prioritising their wellbeing and work-life balance above all else.

“The figures are clear: if businesses don’t offer the flexibility that these people expect, they could struggle to retain crucial talent while risking a disengaged workforce and stretched bottom line.”

CV gaps “no longer a red flag”

Turney adds that companies must move on from the “one-size-fits-all approach” to recruitment and employee retention. Instead, they must recognise that expectations have shifted; and norms have changed.

For example, they must move away from long-held beliefs on what a CV red flag is, says former corporate recruiter and career coach, Hannah Salton.

Salton shares: “Having gaps on your CV was once seen as a red flag, but employers now recognise that people take career breaks for many reasons – including caregiving, professional development, or adapting to a tough job market.”

Her advice to candidates is to highlight how they spent this time. Red flags in this context are often just points for extra exploration during the interview process.

Job hopping has traditionally been interpreted as sign of poor commitment from candidates. However, Salton says that recruiters today are more open-minded and understand that it’s common for people to explore and try different jobs, especially in the early stages of a career.

She warns though: “There is a limit, and if you have never stayed in a role longer than a month, this could ring alarm bells to recruiters.”