39% of Kiwis will quit their jobs this FY – here’s why

Published: 14 June, 2021

39% of New Zealand employees plan to look for a new job in the next 12 months, according to recruiting experts Hays. 
 
Based on findings in the recruiter’s FY21/22 Hays Salary Guide, another 39% of the more than 500 professionals surveyed said they are open to new opportunities. 

The reasons? An uncompetitive salary tops the list, cited by 50%, followed by a lack of promotional opportunities (48%), a lack of new challenges (41%), a poor management style or workplace culture (39%), poor training and development (28%) and concerns about job security (27%).

Moreover, Hays found that only 45% are satisfied with their current job. Just 47% and 55% are satisfied with their current employer and direct manager respectively. 

“For employers, this movement of people will add to their staff retention challenges, which are already heightened in response to a gap in salary increase expectations between organisations and their employees,” says Adam Shapley, Managing Director of Hays in New Zealand. 

Career progression is a top retention tool

Career progression has become an important benefit to skilled professionals. According to Adam, a career progression plan is an essential selling point for employers in securing their preferred candidate and retaining top talent.  

“Many professionals feel that their career stagnated over the past year,” he explains. “They put their career plans on hold to help their organisation through the crisis and recover. Now, they are focused on their career again and are prioritising advancement.”

But while career progression is valued, the data from Hays shows just 17% of employees expect to receive a promotion in the next 12 months.

Furthermore, they have developed their soft (53%) and technical skills (49%) over the past year, while 22% gained higher or additional qualifications.  

“This upskilling has put professionals in a strong position to jump ship if their career goals can’t be achieved in their current workplace,” notes Adam.