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Revealed: People working in human resources and recruitment have the worst phone etiquette in the country

4Com research reveals the industries with the worst phone manners in the UK

Whether it’s to a friend, family member or a client, making phone calls is part of everyday life, but which professions carry the best and worst phone manners?

A recent study, run by business telecommunications provider, 4Com, explored how well British people do when it comes to phone etiquette, and their worst pet peeves. The research revealed people working in recruitment and human resources are the worst phone communicators in the UK, with one in nine (87%) admitting to demonstrating bad manners while on the phone.

The five worst professions for bad phone manners are:

  1. HR/Recruitment (87%)
  2. Media/PR/Marketing (85%)
  3. Lawyer (82%)
  4. Doctor/Nurse/Dentist (81%)
  5. Accounts (77%)

When it comes to the specific telephone faux pas that recruiters and HR workers admit being the guiltiest of, putting people on speakerphone, while being distracted with other tasks comes in first with almost a quarter (22%) claiming this habit as one of their own. Close behind, 16% admit to eating and drinking when using the telephone, while one in ten (11%) say their worst phone habit is speaking too quietly and mumbling.

On the other hand, the phone habits that recruiters and human resources workers find most irritating are:

  • Someone playing loud music in the background (58%)
  • Someone having a conversation with another person in the background (38%)
  • Someone speaking too quietly (36%)
  • Being put on hold (33%)
  • Someone eating their food/having a drink whilst speaking (29%)

In the face of these annoying habits, one in six (16%) HR and recruitment workers will happily put the phone down with no explanation, while three in five (60%) will interrupt them and inform them they’re being irritating and 13% are more likely to just mute the call.





“Hopefully this research will help people realise their phone habits can be considered rude and make chatting on the phone smooth sailing for recruiters and HR professionals!”

To make sure you stay on the right side of the etiquette line, head to
to see how Jo Bryant, Jakemans etiquette expert, suggests you make the most of your phone calls.



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