Retention | 'Job scrolling' trend emerges as staff quietly keep their career options open

As redundancies, hiring slowdowns and economic uncertainty continue across many industries, more employees are quietly “job scrolling” by browsing vacancies on sites such as LinkedIn and Indeed during the working day.

Unlike traditional job hunting, job scrolling does not always mean someone is actively looking for a new role. Many employees are simply keeping an eye on what is available, benchmarking their salary against the wider market or reassuring themselves that other opportunities exist should their circumstances suddenly change.

The trend forms part of a broader pattern of workplace secrecy. Data from AI career tool Kickresume shows that employees often keep work-related behaviours private, with 36% hiding side hustles from their employer and nearly 60% admitting to tweaking their timesheets.

Peter Duris, CEO and Co-Founder of Kickresume, said: "Job Scrolling isn't necessarily a sign that employees have mentally checked out. In many cases, it's simply people trying to feel prepared. After several years of economic uncertainty and redundancies, workers want to understand the market in case their situation changes unexpectedly.