Over Half of Employees Globally Want to Leave Their Job

According to a recent report by analytics and advisory firm Gallup Inc., as the world has enjoyed a widespread increase in employment opportunities, more than half of workers worldwide (53%) expressed a desire to leave their job, saying that now is a good time to find work where they live. In the United States and Canada, 71% of workers said they felt the same way.

Gallup’s 2023 State of the Global Workplace Report, which surveyed 122,416 employees on six continents in 2022, also reveals that 51% of current workers worldwide are either watching for or actively seeking a new job. Increased pay was most attractive as a reason for leaving, followed by improved well-being and opportunities for growth and development. In fact, when asked what one area they’d like to see improve at their current job, 85% cited similar categories—28% said pay and 16% said well-being, along with 41% who wished for changes in engagement or culture.

These numbers might be disturbing for employers who are already experiencing difficulty employing and retaining workers, as the United States has been struggling with a worker shortage over the last several years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, Gallup has shared the following suggestions on recruiting and retaining employees:

• Work toward retaining your best employees. Building deeper relationships and staying in constant communication with your brightest stars will not only help them stay, but also help you learn why they stay.
• Make your organization’s values known. Develop values that inspire employees and encourage them to stay. Then make sure they know what those values are and see them in action.
• Recruit. Gallup suggests that companies with strong recruiting approaches and employment brands can overcome the leverage employees currently have. If your company is weak when it comes to recruitment, hire a company that can do the job. In particular, look for a company that promotes the attributes your business has to offer a new employee, rather than one that simply reads resumes.

For more ideas on how to better retain your workforce, check out Encouraging Employee Retention Despite Labor Shortages.