MetLife: over 50% of employees are considering leaving their job in the next year and a half

UK employees are increasingly thinking about leaving their jobs over the course of the next 18 months, according to new research from MetLife, with 54% indicating they were considering leaving their current employment, and 59% admitting they would start looking for a new job if their work values were not accommodated by their existing employer.

The results of the survey comes amid a growing trend that employee values and priorities, both personally and professionally, have shifted over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"A chance to reflect and step back, 2021 has given employees the opportunity to make moves if they feel their needs are not being met. While a certain amount of change after such a lifechanging year is inevitable employers can't afford their best talent to walk away, especially in cases where they could have done something to stop it," said Adrian Matthews, EB director at MetLife UK.

"For years businesses have believed that higher pay and job security was the answer to a multitude of problems for employees and why good pay will naturally remain a draw for employees, demonstrating care for an employee's physical, mental and emotional wellbeing will play an important part in guaranteeing an employee's loyalty for the long term," he added.

The study also found that increasingly, employees felt their employers had ‘a social responsibility to them', with 71% indicating they thought this was the case.

Meanwhile exactly half of respondents said they would be willing to sacrifice more of their salary to achieve more personalised employee benefits.

Elsewhere, 67% of employers confirmed their current employee benefits package was being developed to better support staff needs.

"Ensuring that the benefit packages employers offer suits all members of the team is crucial to protect productivity and encourage loyalty for the long term," said Matthews.

"Our research found that more than 69% of employees ‘will work harder for an employer who provides employee benefits that support my individual needs'. Employers must recognise how the needs of their employees will have changed in the past 12 months and work with them to find practical solutions that can be introduced quickly," he added.

In addition, 39% employees said they would stay at their current job if their employer demonstrated more care for their mental wellbeing.

Up to 72% of employers and 62% of employees agreed the pandemic had altered their relationship.