The employment scene has undergone a sea change since the pandemic, from mass layoffs to the Great Resignation, a lot has happened over the last two years.
Pandemic obliterated the line between work and home, and employees started working more during lockdown while weathering international health and economic crisis. They felt burned out, anxious, and completely off-balance.
As the economy recovers from the recession and businesses reopen, employees are reassessing their career choices, lives, and priorities. Realizing the fragility and impermanence of life, they do not wish to continue working where they aren’t happy and aren’t valued.
Resultantly, more & more people are switching jobs, leaving their current employers for better work opportunities, or completely reinventing themselves and starting all over again with a job or a career they feel passionate about.
Here are more reasons for employees switching jobs post-pandemic!
1. Career Advancement
As per a Prudential report, 26 % of the employees who feel their careers have stalled during a pandemic are planning to switch jobs to advance their careers. According to Rob Falzon, Vice Chairman at Prudential, the pandemic has led to a “very real experience that employees have had around a lack of career progression and a concern around skills development.” Employees feel despite working diligently their companies did not offer them growth opportunities.
2. Better Employer Benefits
Employees are looking for better benefits like retirement plans, health and life insurance, paid family medical leave, and emergency saving programs for their financial resilience. As per a survey, 40 % of employees are likely to consider an offer from a company that offers them better benefits.
3. Remote Work A Priority
Remote work culture is here to stay. As per the Prudential Survey – 87 % of the American workers who have been working remotely since the pandemic would prefer working from home at least once a week post-Covid. While 68 % of employees prefer a hybrid work model, 42% say they will consider a job change if their company does not support a remote work culture.
4. Company Culture Not Aligned
Company culture is another reason for a job switch. Employees prefer companies that offer a thriving culture of internal mobility, continuous learning, and other benefits to support employees.
5. Better Work-Life Balance
Another preference is a better work-life balance. According to a survey by Joblist – over 30% of employees are willing to sacrifice a part of their pay for a better work-life balance, with parents willing to take a 5% pay cut.
6. Working Parents are Quitting More
Working parents were more affected by the pandemic. Taking care of children and their educational needs combined with hectic working hours resulted in fatigue and exhaustion. Thus, working parents are now giving preference to organizations that offer them more fulfilling environments and a better work-life balance.
To Conclude
Hybrid culture is the future of work. An inflexible, location-centered approach to work is likely to make employees leave their current companies and find a more flexible job. Experts believe – companies can retain fatigued employees by giving them a break from work, offering them more accommodating work arrangements, including remote work, hybrid work, and flexible schedules. Employers should pay attention to employees’ needs and make decisions based upon them, instead of making tone-deaf, top-down decisions.
