More people are now considering their options as they feel increasingly overworked and underpaid amid relentless cost pressures.
Employees feel so bogged down by work that many more people are considering quitting now than during the mass resignations we saw in 2022, auditor PwC found in its global survey of the hopes and fears of the workforce. of work released Tuesday, covering more than 56,000 workers worldwide.
The report, of which nearly half of respondents are Millennials, followed by Generation X and Z employees, found a staggering 28% increase in the number of people considering changing jobs, up from 19% in Great Resignation of 2022.
Their reasons? Higher workload, career ambitions and new technologies entering the workplace.
Nearly half of those surveyed said their workload had increased “significantly” over the past 12 months. Workers are also nervous about the amount of their pay, with 43% willing to ask for a pay increase. That’s not all: 62% of employees feel that the pace of change in the workplace has also accelerated over the same period, especially as they have had to adapt to new technological tools in their work and increased financial pressure.
To top it all off, employees’ personal goals to expand their skills and advance their careers also make them consider jumping ship.
Overall, more workers are feeling more comfortable in a new role, hoping to find some relief.
“Workers around the world are increasingly prioritizing long-term skills development and looking to organizations that can help facilitate this,” said Carol Stubbings, head of global markets and tax and legal services. from PwC UK. Fortuneadding that emerging technologies like generative AI and its workplace applications remain at the forefront for employees.
“Ultimately, employees may seek to change roles for a variety of reasons, many of which will depend on their particular circumstances and the broader trends facing their geography, industry and role. »
Other studies on the topic have also indicated similar results, for example a LinkedIn and Microsoft survey published earlier this year surveying 31,000 people worldwide found that an even higher proportion of people were inclined to leave their jobs in the coming year than during the pandemic.
Europe and its growing pool of dropouts
The Great Resignation may have took off in the United States, but Europeans are not spared. Countries like France and Germany have also faced dilemmas regarding their employment, salary and benefits. last few years.
Even in the UK, more workers considered leaving their jobs after the pandemic than during it. Worker dissatisfaction came at a time of high interest rates and high costs of living, pushing more of them to consider seeking greener pastures. It doesn’t help that the employees also abandon their jobs by quietly leaving their workplace, which impacts their productivity.
“It is essential that leaders prioritize well-being as a core value and critical driver of performance within their organization. Workers who are overly stressed and distracted are less likely to perform well,” the PwC report says.
These trends indicate a continuation of the Great Resignation. The only difference? We have moved from a period marked by confinement and remote working to a relatively “normal” period but still facing new challenges.
AI is one of them, according to the PwC report. Such platforms can help increase efficiency, making them invaluable in the workplace of the future.
Most CEOs believe technology is the reason for new changes at work, but very few employees use AI-based generative tools regularly. That doesn’t mean they aren’t optimistic about AI, Stubbings said.
The study found that 72% of casual AI users among those surveyed believe the technology will improve the quality of their work, while half of them believe it will lead to higher salaries.
The trap for employees who look elsewhere is that most of those who quit their jobs end up regretting their decision, the data suggests.
But will this stop the growing number of workers considering quitting? Maybe not. However, PwC suggests managers help employees find a delicate balance between all the changes in the workplace and not feel overwhelmed.
“Companies need to create guidance and mentoring on the types of skills employees need to develop. It is also important to create a culture of learning, where unlocking learning opportunities is part of the organization’s DNA,” PwC said in its report.
