HRreview 20 Years
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Subscribe for weekday HR news, opinion and advice.
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Optin_date
This field is hidden when viewing the form

Two-fifths of staff have been headhunted for new roles over past year

-

As the war for talent among companies intensifies, new research finds that over a third of employees have been approached for a new role over the past year.

According to new data collected by Talent Works, close to two-fifths (38 per cent) of software and government professionals have been approached over 5 times for a new job in the last year.

This was more evident among software professionals of which almost half (45 per cent) had been approached by headhunters over the previous year.

This comes as firms are searching for people with technical skills as the skills gap becomes more prevalent within UK businesses.

HRreview Logo

Get our essential weekday HR news and updates.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Keep up with the latest in HR...
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Optin_date
This field is hidden when viewing the form

 

When exploring what could convince an employee to stay or to leave their current position, a fifth of employees (20 per cent) said being forced to be in the office full-time or part-time would negatively impact their experience.

This reluctance to return to the office was seen more clearly among women, government professionals and those over 35 compared to men, software professionals, and 18-34 year olds.

When asked about what they want most when working at an organisation, opportunities to progress their career (38 per cent) and a great company culture (33 per cent) came out on top.

A great office was a much lower priority for respondents (16 per cent), showing that physical workspaces are no longer a main priority for employees and prospective candidates and businesses looking to attract top talent should direct their focus elsewhere.

As such, close to a fifth of people surveyed (21 per cent) reported that they are looking to pursue their career elsewhere in 2022, with this pertaining more to younger workers compared to staff aged over 35.

Neil Purcell, CEO and Founder of Talent Works, commented:

Businesses should be concerned with the mixed responses on working policies, especially with job openings at an all time high and poaching numbers only likely to grow.

Understanding your candidates and your employees will ensure that the right people fit within your organisation and employee turnover and churn is reduced.

Monica Sharma is an English Literature graduate from the University of Warwick. As Editor for HRreview, her particular interests in HR include issues concerning diversity, employment law and wellbeing in the workplace. Alongside this, she has written for student publications in both England and Canada. Monica has also presented her academic work concerning the relationship between legal systems, sexual harassment and racism at a university conference at the University of Western Ontario, Canada.

Latest news

Felicia Williams: Why ‘shadow work’ is quietly breaking your people strategy

Employees are losing seven hours a week to tasks that fall outside their core job description. For HR leaders, that’s the kind of stat that keeps you up at night.

Redundancies rise as 327,000 job losses forecast for 2026

UK job losses are set to rise again as redundancy warnings hit post-pandemic highs, with employers cutting roles amid rising costs and economic pressure.

Rise of ‘sickfluencers’ and AI advice sparks concern over attitudes to work

Online influencers and AI tools are shaping how people approach illness and employment, heaping pressure on employers.

‘Silent killer’ dust linked to 500 construction deaths a year as 600,000 workers face exposure

Hundreds of UK construction workers die each year from silica dust exposure as a new campaign calls for stronger workplace protections.
- Advertisement -

Leaders ‘overestimate’ how much workers use AI

Firms may be misreading workforce readiness for artificial intelligence, as frontline staff report far lower day-to-day adoption than executives expect.

Cost-of-living pressures ‘keep unhappy workers in their jobs’

Many say economic pressures are forcing them to remain in jobs they would otherwise leave, as pay and financial stability dominate career decisions.

Must read

Claire Christy and Christina Morton: What employers need to know about sick pay

Despite employers like Ocado and IKEA cutting sick pay for unvaccinated staff, write Claire Christy and Christina Morton, others should stop and think before they take that route.

Lauren Clovis: Why focus on talent?

In the run up to the RPO and e-Recruitment...
- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you