Thirty-six per cent of employees will have left their job by the end of June, reveals Robert Half UK.
Research from ‘It’s time we all work happy: The secrets of the happiest companies and employees’ finds employees in London and the East of England are most likely to have left their roles with nearly half of Londoners (49 per cent) and 42 per cent of those in cities like Cambridge, Norwich and Peterborough admitting they anticipate quitting their jobs in the first six months of the year.
In contrast, those in the North claimed that they were the least likely to leave their roles. Overall, 73 per cent of those in Yorkshire and the Humber, 68 per cent of those in the North and 67 per cent in Scotland denied having any intention to leave.
Despite experiencing above average levels of happiness (71.7) and interest (71.3) in their roles, the exodus of staff is being driven by the millennial generation (born 1982 to 2002).
On average, nearly half (49 per cent) of those aged 18–34 are likely to have left their jobs, compared to a third of 35–54 year olds and a fifth (21 per cent) of those aged over 55.
This is a generation that claims feeling appreciated, being interested and having pride in the organisation that they work for as the top drivers of workplace happiness.
The study also finds that those in the technology and IT industry – which ranks above average on the happiness scale at 70.1 – are the most likely to have left their current job by the end of June. In total, more than half (52 per cent) admit they were thinking about moving on in the first half of the year. In contrast, those in administrative or clerical roles and in the marketing and creative industries were the least likely to have moved with 71 per cent claiming they were unlikely to consider a change.
‘With a skills shortage continuing in the UK, skilled employees are fast becoming aware that they have multiple opportunities available to them as demand continues to grow faster than supply,’ comments Phil Sheridan, senior managing director at Robert Half UK.
‘For today’s employees, career goals aren’t static or only reviewed annually. So for businesses looking to improve retention, efforts should be focused on proactively talking with staff about their aspirations and working to support them with their career progression. Finding opportunities for employees that engages their interest and their skills are important contributions to your employee’s happiness in their role.’
Further reading on leaving your job
