Nearly Half of High Achievers Considering New Jobs

While the number of unemployed Americans continues to be a top concern for the country, employers should not overlook the risk of losing employees who leave on their own, new research finds. The Aflac WorkForces Report finds that 49% of U.S. workers are at least somewhat likely to look for a job this year. Perhaps most concerning to employers, a majority of those claiming to be extremely or very likely to leave describe themselves as top-notch workers.

 The report, which draws on the online responses of almost 1,876 benefits decision-makers and 6,151 workers, finds that 90% of those who say they are extremely or very likely to look for another job this year describe themselves as hard workers. Additionally, 79% say they are high achievers at work, 73% claim to be highly educated, and 64% believe they are ambitious.  Though these qualities are self-reported and difficult to independently verify, Aflac maintains that they point to a broader trend that employers should be concerned about, particularly as the economy begins to improve and more options become available.

 “Employers should be concerned that after several years of recession and a very slow recovery, their top talent has a pent-up desire to leave for what they believe to be greener pastures,” says Audrey Boone Tillman, executive vice president of Corporate Services at Aflac, in a statement. “Our study also sheds light on some of the reasons employees consider leaving and what employers can do to keep them.”


 
The study found a high number of those holding particular opinions about their employer saying they were extremely or very likely to leave. Some 35% of those who do not believe their company has a reputation as a great place to work expect to leave in the next 12 months, while 43% of those who say they are stressed out reported the same. An additional 28% of employees who are highly likely to leave their job this year say they do not have peace of mind. 


“It’s been an employer-driven market for a number of years and businesses watching their bottom lines may not have taken care of employees as well as they did before the recession,” says Tillman. “However, demonstrating they care and showing appreciation in ways that are meaningful to their employees are the most important actions company leaders and HR executives can take to prevent their best workers from walking out the door.” 

What is your organization doing to keep your top-notch employees?

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