Nearly a quarter of employees are planning to change jobs in the near future, a survey has found, with experts warning that remote working has reduced company loyalty.
The poll of 6,000 workers, conducted by Randstad, found 24 per cent said they planned to move jobs within the next three to six months.
The survey also found a high level of confidence among workers of their ability to find a new role.
- CIPD calls for short-term immigration changes to address labour shortages
- How managers can attract and retain talent
- Job vacancies reach another record high, official figures show
Nearly seven in 10 (69 per cent) said they were confident in their ability to move to a new role in the next few months. In comparison, just 16 per cent of those polled said they were worried about finding a new role.
Victoria Short, CEO of Randstad UK, said there had been a “deluge” of resignations as many employees who had put off finding a new role during the pandemic were now looking to move.
And while the pandemic has led some individuals to reevaluate their career priorities, Short warned that remote working had also had a detrimental impact on employers’ ability to retain staff.
Join us for the CIPD's Annual Conference & Exhibition in Manchester on 3-4 November 2021. In-person features include Big Questions Live, the People Library and Legal Drop-in Clinic, as well as the opportunity to meet 85+ exhibitors and access our Insights stages. Book your ticket now
“Ties to firms have become weaker,” said Short. “Working from home means you are no longer sitting next to a friend or that you have a particularly good commute. Suddenly those factors, which are surprisingly powerful, are negated; working from home makes it matter less who you work for.”
The figures come at a time when the UK jobs market has a record number of vacancies.
Last month, figures from the Office for National Statistics showed the number of vacancies reached 1,102,000 in July to September, up 68,000 from the previous rolling quarter and the second consecutive rolling quarter that vacancies topped a million.
Adrian Smith, senior director of operations at Randstad UK, advised employers wanting to improve staff retention to start by looking at their remuneration packages.
“Employees say that when it comes to job loyalty, the factor that is most important for keeping them at their current job is money,” he said, with the employer’s brand proposition second.
He added that HR was one of the “most mercenary” professions when it came to pay: 84 per cent of people professionals said salary was the most important factor for them when accepting a job. “Only 67 per cent of the lawyers we spoke to said the same thing,” added Smith.