Two-thirds (65.6%) of candidates are currently looking for a new job – a trend linked to low motivation reported by these workers.
Added to this, over three-quarters (77%) of employees have also applied for a new job while working in their current role, and 62% of these have interviewed for a new role.
The news comes from leading recruitment agency, Aspire, which surveyed over 900 jobseekers to understand candidate motivations and the wider trends impacting the world of work.
While strong candidate intent to change jobs could be viewed as good news for skills-strapped employers, there are also warning signs, with many reporting low motivation as the main driver of their job search.
Over a third of candidates reported that they’re ‘unmotivated’ or ‘not very motivated’ (14.4% and 18.6% respectively) in their roles, and almost another third (31.2%) only ‘somewhat’ motivated.
However, Aspire’s research also sets out what would keep workers in their roles longer – insight which could hold the key to attracting and retaining talent.
Half (52.5%) of candidates say more regular pay reviews. Many more want extra training and development opportunities (44.9%), additional benefits like increased annual leave (43.5%) and more flexible working practices (42.3%).
Aspire’s Global Managing Director, Terry Payne, said, “Our latest research shows that lots of candidates are currently demotivated. Whatever’s causing it – whether it’s inflexible working practices, below-inflation pay rises or something else altogether – these workers are looking for a new role to get out of the rut.
“These results may be unwelcome reading for employers, but as with every grey cloud, there’s a silver lining. Candidates have given a clear indication of what they want from their next role, providing valuable insight into how employers can not only attract talent, but retain it too.
“Many businesses will welcome the news that so many candidates are actively looking for work. But the circumstances present a double-edged sword; employers may face some churn in their existing workforce, too. Bringing in new staff is no good if existing employees are on their way out.
“Alongside a recruitment strategy that identifies talent and attracts employees to the business, employers should also be thinking carefully about how to keep their employees motivated and engaged.”
