Dive Brief:
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When surveyed, 45% of workers who say they are very satisfied with their organizations and 42% who say they are satisfied with their jobs are also looking to leave, according to Mercer’s latest Inside Employees’ Minds™ research that surveyed 3,000 people representing a cross-section of the US workforce.
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The new survey from Mercer, a global consulting firm and wholly owned subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies, also found that 37% of all workers — of all satisfaction levels — are seriously considering leaving their companies, that's up from the 33% who were considering leaving in 2011.
- Older workers, who have an array of family and financial commitments, say they are less likely to be looking. Only 29% of workers ages 50–64 are seriously considering leaving at the present time (though 63% of senior managers surveyed are seriously considering leaving their current roles). But it's a different story with younger generations, particularly Millennials. Among that group (18-34 year olds), 44% are "seriously considering" leaving their organization
Dive Insight:
Patrick Tomlinson, North American Business Leader for Talent at Mercer, said the survey confirms what employers have been seeing first-hand — a workforce in transition and, increasingly, one on the move.
"The new twist is that the inclination to leave is increasingly detached from employees' satisfaction with jobs, pay, and even growth opportunities," he said. "Employers need to shift their talent strategies to understand the modern terms of engagement from the most productive employees."
Tomlinson added that if employers want to remain competitive, they need a strategic workforce plan that aligns to an evolved value proposition — based on the rapidly changing talent pool. The plan must speak to engaged and disengaged workers.
