Survey: Four in 10 Professionals Are Yearning For Greener Pastures

If you think the Great Resignation is coming to an end, think again. According to a new survey by staffing and business consulting firm Robert Half, 41 percent of U.S. workers say they are looking or are planning to look for a new job in the second half of this year.

The Robert Half job optimism survey comes on the heels of a report from PwC that revealed one in five employees globally say they are extremely or very likely to find a new job in the next 12 months, with Gen Zers (27 percent) and millennials (23 percent) being the most likely to leave their current roles.

In comparison, Robert Half found that more millennial employees (53 percent) are planning their exit strategies than any other age group, followed by Gen X (44 percent) and Gen Z (42 percent). Among industries, 52 percent of employees who work in technology are hoping to have a new job later this year, followed by finance and human resources, both at 43 percent.

“There has never been a better time to explore the job market and opportunities that offer better pay, a greater challenge, and more flexibility,” Paul McDonald, senior executive director of Robert Half, said in a press release. “In this market, even passive job seekers are flight risks, so it’s crucial for companies to address employees’ priorities before they even contemplate a career move.”

Now keep in mind that the Robert Half survey of more than 2,400 professionals was conducted from May 17 to May 30, when fears of a recession were not as strong as they are now. So, a looming recession could change some of these employees’ job search plans in the next couple of months, especially if companies put hiring freezes in place. But let’s set that aside for now and look at other results from the Robert Half survey. The top three reasons professionals are seeking greener pastures are:

Better pay (65 percent)
Greater opportunity for advancement (39 percent)
Burnout at their current job (34 percent)

And the majority of those surveyed are looking for a job that does not force them back to the office five days a week. More than half plan to pursue hybrid (55 percent) or fully remote (54 percent) positions. And 54 percent are open to searching outside of their current city.

The survey also found that very few employees have quitter’s remorse. Among workers who have been with their current company for one year or less, only one in 10 regret quitting their previous job. What would they have done differently? Twenty-six percent would have met with their manager to discuss the issues that made them want to leave, and 17 percent would have asked for a raise or promotion before resigning.

The results of this most recent Robert Half job optimism survey are similar to one conducted by the staffing firm six months ago. Back in December, 41 percent of employees surveyed said they would start looking for a new job during the first six months of 2022.