Australian job seekers are turning down offers in increasing numbers because pay is too low and roles do not allow them to work from home, a new survey has found.

While the 2025 job market largely favoured employers — with many Australians struggling to find a new job — 2026 will likely swing in favour of job seekers, according to research by specialised recruiter Robert Half.

The study, based on a survey of 500 employers in finance, accounting, IT, and tech and HR hiring managers, found nearly nine out of 10 hirers had a candidate decline a job offer recently.

According to a survey of job hunters, the most common reasons for rejecting a job offer were that the salary on offer was not enough, that flexible working was not available, and that the company’s values did not align with their own.

Nearly a third of job seekers said they had rejected an offer due to the salary being too low, while 29 per cent said they did so because of an office mandate being in place.

This backs up previous research that found many workers would rather quit than be forced to return to the office full-time.

Lengthy recruitment also driving workers away

Nearly a quarter of respondents said they were unwilling to take on a new role due to a lengthy or impersonal recruitment process.

Previous research has found it is taking Australian companies an average of five weeks to make a new hire, and this is leading to a “ripple effect” inside firms that is even leading to existing employees quitting.

Research has also found Australian companies were often taking three times as long to hire someone as job seekers expected, and this led them to lose top talent.

Australians are also rejecting jobs because of a disconnect with their personal values and the company’s culture, and concerns about job security, career progression or company stability, according to the Robert Half research.

“The high rate of declined offers highlights a critical disconnect between what businesses are offering and what candidates expect,” Robert Half director Nicole Gorton said.

“Even in an employer-led market, top talent won’t hesitate to walk away for opportunities they see as a better fit.

“Businesses need to think beyond transactional offers and address the full value proposition they present to candidates.”

Increased friction

Of the hiring barriers identified by the employers surveyed, more than 60 per cent pointed to a lack of skilled applicants, 58 per cent said salary expectations were mismatched, and just under 60 per cent said there were competing offers from competitors.

More than half said a lack of applicants willing to work from a physical office was a barrier to hiring, and that being ghosted by candidates during the recruitment process was a significant barrier.

“While employers have had more control in the 2025 job market, the reality of hiring remains complex and never without its challenges,” Gorton said.

“The volume and variety of hiring obstacles businesses anticipate in 2026 point to a recruitment landscape where friction is increasing, not easing.

“Many companies are discovering that simply having an open role, on its own, isn’t a guarantee to secure the right hire.”

The findings mark a significant change from recent years, which saw job vacancies on the decline around the country and job seekers struggle to find new roles.

According to one 2024 study, more than a third of job hunters found it hard to secure a new role, and just over a quarter said they could not find jobs that matched their skill sets.

The use of artificial intelligence in this process has also sparked concerns, with Australian research finding this brings a “serious risk” of discrimination and can “breathe new life” into long-held biases.

Separate Australian research has also found AI tools being used to make hiring decisions may have in-built biases favouring men and disadvantaging women.