Hiring Trends in 2025: 6 Things Hourly Employers Need to Know

You post. You wait. You cross your fingers. Sound familiar? Candidates are still looking for jobs, but their expectations, habits, and priorities aren't what they were even a year ago.

So, what do hourly job seekers really want in 2025? Thanks to the latest job seeker report, we're finally getting a clearer view into what today's hourly job seekers care about, including what motivates them, what worries them, and what they need to say yes to a job. We've pulled out the insights that matter most; here's what it means for your hiring game!

6 Hiring Trends of 2025

1. Workers say they’re satisfied- but they’re still open to better offers.

Let’s start here:

• 83% of employees say they’re at least 'somewhat' or 'very' satisfied in their current job

• But 85% are still open to new opportunities

• And 42% are actively job hunting

That’s your green light. People aren’t as locked in as they might seem. They’re just waiting for something better, like more pay, less stress, a shorter commute, or a manager who listens. Sound like something you offer? Shout it from the rooftops (or, you know, from your Juvo pin).

2. Two-thirds of job sekeers say they're burned out- and it shows.

66% of job seekers say they’re feeling burned out from job searching.

Some industries have it worse than others. For the hourly industry specifically, 80% in food service reported burnout. That means many of your potential hires are tired, skeptical, and pretty much over the whole job search process.

What can you do?

• Ditch the long applications.

• Don’t make them re-upload a resume and manually type it in.

• Respond quickly. Be organic and friendly in your approach.

Juvo makes it easy to chat with candidates directly, review quick video intros, and move fast—before burnout turns into job hunt dropout.

3. Good pay is expected, but culture & stability seal the deal.

Compensation is still the top motivator, but here’s what else is driving people to leave or look for work:

• 53% want career advancement

• 46% want more flexibility or remote options

• 33% want better leadership

• 32% want a stronger company culture

• 26% are worried about their employer’s financial future

If you’re thinking, "I can’t offer remote work or flashy perks,” that’s okay. You can offer stability, respect, predictable scheduling, and opportunities to grow into new roles. Those are powerful benefits, especially in a job market that feels shaky.

4. Flexibility is still king.

63% of workers say that remote work or flexibility is important when considering a new job, and 20% said they’d straight-up decline an offer if it meant full-time, on-site work.

We know hourly work doesn’t often allow for remote setups, but "flexibility" doesn’t just mean working in pajamas. It can mean:

• Set shift preferences

• Shorter commutes (hello, local hiring!)

• Swapping shifts easily

• Options to pick up extra hours when available

These are all things hourly workers value; showcase that flexibility to attract more right-fit candidates!

5. Application experience can make or break the hire.

Here’s the stat that should be in blinking neon lights: 43% of job seekers say the application process has the biggest impact on their opinion of your business.

Think about that. Nearly half of applicants judge your business based on how painful (or painless) it is to apply. If it’s clunky, slow, or involves creating a password they’ll forget in 5 minutes, you might be losing great people before you even meet them.

Also:

• 71% expect applications to take less than 30 minutes

• 35% will abandon one if it takes too long

• 57% want to hear back within 3 days

In other words, don't wait. Great candidates certainly won't.

6. Ghosting goes both ways, and it hurts your reputation.

Job seekers aren’t the only ones ghosting. Employers are guilty too. But the data’s clear:

• 1 in 3 job seekers say they’ve been ghosted by an employer

• Nearly half of those say it’s happened more than three times

Let’s fix that. A simple message- even a “we’re moving forward with other candidates”- goes a long way toward building a good employer brand. Juvo’s built-in messaging makes it easy to close the loop with every candidate.

So... how should employers hire in 2025?

Here’s your quick checklist:

✅ Be local. Hiring close to home saves your team (and your workers) time and money.

✅ Be fast. Streamline your application and interview process. Don’t let great people slip away while you’re “thinking on it.”

✅ Be flexible. Offer options where you can. Communicate the ones you already do.

✅ Be transparent. If the job’s solid, the pay’s fair, and your team’s great, say that loud and clear.

✅ Be human. Hourly workers are people first. Treat them like it. Platforms like Juvo let them introduce themselves in a way that goes beyond the resume.

The hourly job market isn’t broken, it’s just changing. Workers want more respect, more flexibility, and less friction. If you can give them that, they’ll show up.

And if you need help showing up for them? Juvo’s got your back. 👉 Post your local jobs on Juvo today.

---

Join the Juvo Network or become a Juvo partner today! Download the Juvo Jobs app to see local jobs in your neighborhood. Check out the Juvo Jobs blog for more hiring trends and tips!