While many employees are staying put during the downturn, many are planning to change their job or their whole career when the recession ends. The CIPD’s survey of 3,000 employees found that 34% of employees would change job within the next year in an ideal world.

Furthermore, 24% of these would consider changing sector, and another quarter (25%) wanted to change their line of work altogether.

Claire McCartney, Talent and Resourcing Adviser at the CIPD, commented on the findings:

“What is striking is the high proportion of people wanting to change sector or even change their line of work altogether. Concerns over job security and finding new work are prompting people to re-think their career aspirations and ambitions. This will also have a big impact on trends in the labour market”, she said”

She also urged employers to take steps now to emprove employee engageent and talent retention:

“It’s clear from this quarter’s findings that the poor state of the labour market is acting like a dam holding back the normal flow of talent. Once job opportunities increase, however, dissatisfied employees will vote with their feet and leave, making it important for employers not to take the loyalty of their people for granted.

“Employers need to be careful to avoid complacency. The recession may keep your best people with you for now, but you need to take the time to focus on building employee engagement by providing employees with clarity around career paths and setting work that is meaningful to them, if you want them to stay put when better times return.

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2 Responses to “Over one third of employees plan to change job after the recession”

1. Derek Irvine, Globoforce Says:
   July 31st, 2009 at 7:47 pm

   Excellent post and very true. It also highlights the disconnect between employees how are ready and willing to leave and managers who are still operating under the assumption that employees are staying for the long haul. Reminds me of this statistic: In another recent study, 56% of managers said they appreciate their employees, but only 23% of staff agreed.

2. Dave Says:
   August 5th, 2009 at 4:35 pm

   Sorry, but it is many years now since employees started at 14 with the expectation of a job for life and 51 years later received a clock and told to go home and watch it.

   Nowadays recruiters expect individuals to be showing a healthy attitude to their career path – moving after a reasonable time to acquire promotion if not available in their current organisation. Additionally individuals who change every 5 years or so gain experience of different organisations and work practices and take along those experiences.

   Manager are not necessarily there for the long haul. Before “recession” how many were considering changing jobs? at least 30% as we all now know none of us have a job for life.