Employees hold the cards as businesses face fight to retain staff

• Nearly a third of the UK workforce (29%) has changed employer, or desire to, since the start of the pandemic
• 40% of which said a better benefits package would attract them to a new employer
• 20% of employees list poor mental health support during the pandemic as a leading reason for leaving

New research from leading employee benefits provider Unum UK finds almost a third (29%) of UK employees have either moved jobs or are looking to do so since the start of the pandemic.

Of those that remain in their roles – almost 1 in 10 (8%) want to hand in their notice, with two-fifths (40%) of the youngest workers aged 18-34 saying they’re already in a new job or are planning to seek a new one.

What is being dubbed as ‘The Big Quit’ comes at a particularly challenging time for employers. In Q3 2021, there were 1.1 million job vacancies in the UK — the highest number since records began in Q2 2001.

Unum’s research of employees’ attitudes to work and the employer support captures many of the reasons why people are seeking a job change.

Of the people who had left their job or are planning to do so since the pandemic began:

• 67% said a better salary would attract them to a new employer
• 40% said a better benefits package would attract them to a new employer
• 20% were unhappy that their current employer didn’t support their mental health sufficiently during the pandemic
• 18% felt their current employer handled the switch to hybrid working poorly — or did not permit it at all.