As the economy improves job security has become less of an issue than at the height of the recession. In fact, as the New Year begins, a large percentage of workers are actively seeking new jobs.
According to a survey conducted by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), around a fifth of UK workers have made the decision to seek alternative employment by the end of 2014, with 31 per cent of respondents claiming to be uncertain about remaining in their current position.
40 per cent of respondents, looking to make changes in their day to day employment, list job dissatisfaction as the crucial factor and state their desire to work for a different company but in a similar role to the one they presently have.
A slightly lower 39 per cent are seeking a different career entirely, perhaps wishing to make use of a different set of skills now that the labour market has stabilised greatly.
Chief executive of the ILM, Charles Elvin, says; “Our findings show that UK employees are beginning to reassess the job market and look into a range of new opportunities, from starting a new job to developing a new business.”
While this may be bad news for companies in which a large number of highly skilled workers are seeking change, it is good news overall for Britain’s economic recovery as a fluid labour market is a cornerstone of a strong economy.
Last year’s survey of 1,000 workers indicated that only 13 per cent were considering the possibility of changing their job. This marked improvement in confidence demonstrates the positive steps the UK has taken in the past 12 months.
For companies seeking to retain staff, there are certain ideas which may be implemented in order to boost employee satisfaction. One of the key reasons for workers wishing to find alternative employment was a feeling of being undervalued by their current employer, with 16 per cent of those searching for a new job citing this as the main reason for wanting to leave.
Providing feedback on work, establishing a support network and simply thanking staff for completing a task well are all useful tools when looking to make employees feel appreciated – and when attempting to encourage staff to remain loyal.
Does your business take any steps to make employees feel appreciated, and if so has there been a corresponding effect upon staff turnover?
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