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CULTURE COMPLETES THE FULL PACKAGEWhat Workers Want Report 2017

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CONTENTS

Introduction 1

About us 2

About the report 3

Key findings 4

Recommendations 6

The full package 8

Spotlight on gender 14

Sector overviews Accountancy & Finance 16Construction & Property 18Education 20Engineering 22Human Resources 24Information Technology 26Insurance 28Legal 30Life Sciences 32Marketing 34Office Support 36Procurement, Manufacturing & Logistics 38

Sector summary 40

Contact us 42

What Workers Want Report 2017 | 1

Welcome to our What Workers Want Report. This report provides insight into the priorities of employees today and some of the nuances that influence their career-related decisions. Employers should use this guide to provide support when building effective recruitment and retention strategies.

Our highly acclaimed annual UK Salary & Recruiting Trends guide offers insight into salaries and hiring trends across the UK and always prompts further questions on the dynamic between employers and employees. What Workers Want allows us to explore some of these themes further and consider more closely what is fuelling some of the decisions driving employee career behaviour.

Based on the survey findings of over 13,650 respondents, this report explores the importance of four key factors – pay, culture, career progression and benefits – that are pivotal to the decision about whether to stay in a current job or whether to accept a new one. Understanding how these four factors are prioritised can give employers a competitive edge in the employment market.

This is particularly pertinent in today’s challenging and somewhat uncertain economic climate where, in a number of sectors, the competition for talent is intense and employees appear to be dissatisfied in their current roles. We are still faced with a situation where professionals in sectors such as construction, IT, finance and engineering are in high demand and often receive multiple job offers.

For this very reason, it is important that employers consider the total package they are offering. Our survey results show that whilst pay is the single most important factor when deciding whether to accept a job or to stay in a current role, the other elements of culture, career progression and benefits collectively influence more of the decision-making process (55%). While pay is important, only one employer can pay the most and to be competitive in attracting and retaining the best talent, organisations should not rely on pay alone to help them keep existing employees and secure new ones.

For example, culture is the second most important factor in the decision-making process for employees. Not only did our findings show that professionals say they would be prepared to take a pay cut to work for an organisation that is a better cultural fit, but they are also looking for an employer with a diverse and engaging culture.

Career progression is also important to employees with a significant proportion of professionals striving to achieve senior executive positions. However, providing employees with a clear career path may not be enough. When it comes to promotion, employees rate achieving greater recognition and respect most highly. Receiving additional professional development and training is also viewed as more rewarding than moving up a level or getting an improved job title. An awareness of this should prompt employers to fully explore the breadth of their career development practices both during internal career review meetings and when hiring.

Employees want to be fully aware as to what employers can offer and to be empowered to make selections that best suit them, from the type of health insurance to the form of training. Our survey results show that these elements, which are so important to professionals, are not always being effectively communicated during interviews. Improved communication of policies and practices in this area should be prioritised in the recruitment process.

This report therefore provides invaluable insight, which can support an organisation’s recruitment and retention strategies to ensure they are best positioned to attract, secure and retain the people they need. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as we’ve enjoyed compiling it. I’m sure it will prompt further discussion and we look forward to pursuing these debates with you to help enhance your people strategies.

Nigel HeapManaging Director, Hays UK & Ireland

CULTURE COUNTSCREATING AN ENGAGED WORKFORCE

2 | What Workers Want Report 2017

ABOUT US

Our passion lies in helping people to develop their careers, and employers to grow their organisations with the right people.

Our expertiseWith around 2,000 recruiting experts in 95 offices across the UK we place over 600 candidates in new roles every day, across 22 different industries and professions. We are the market leader in the UK and recruit across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. We recruit for permanent and temporary roles for organisations of all sizes and in all locations across the UK.

Competition for skills is high in many of the industries we recruit for and our geographic reach and market-leading database enable our consultants to search over four million candidates globally. This gives employers access to the widest possible talent pool and increases our chances of finding the right match for your organisation.

We know that speed and accuracy are essential when recruiting, and have enhanced our database with Google® technology to search and review candidate profiles quickly and effectively to enable us to find the best people in the fastest timeframe.

We are the most followed recruitment company on LinkedIn® with over 1.6 million followers and we are LinkedIn’s Most Socially Engaged Global Recruitment Company. Our access to this network is unrivalled.

Our servicesOur expert recruitment consultancy is further enhanced by a suite of additional services. We can support your talent management strategies with services including:

• Career transition services• Digital recruitment campaigns• Executive search• Managed services• Project solutions• Recruitment Process Outsourcing

We also offer comprehensive salary benchmarking, which provides specific and detailed analysis and information bespoke to your organisation, role(s) and location. For further information contact the team. Visit hays.co.uk/salary-benchmarking

Recruiting across 22+ skilled and technical professional areas• Accountancy & Finance • Construction & Property• Digital Technology • Education • Energy, Oil & Gas• Engineering • Executive• Financial Markets

• Healthcare• Human Resources • Information Technology • Insurance and Financial Services• Legal• Life Sciences• Marketing• Offi ce Support

• PA & Secretarial• Procurement & Supply Chain • Project & Strategy • Retail • Sales• Social Care

2,000recruiting experts

95offi ces across the UK

100permanent jobs fi lled in the UK each day

500people placed into temporary assignments in the UK each day


LoyaltyExpect to work for fewer than five employers

PayFocus their job search on securing a higher salary66% 28%

ABOUT THE REPORT

Our new What Workers Want Report is centred around the factors that influence an employees’ decision about whether to stay in a job or accept a new role.

These four factors – pay, culture, career progression and benefits – were identified as key to the decision-making process. By asking respondents to weight each of these factors according to the importance they attribute to them, we gathered insight into where employers should be focusing their efforts.

We then probed further, comparing employees’ expectations to the workplace experiences employers currently offer. In addition, we examined differences between genders, generations and seniority levels, as well as across 12 of the specialist areas that we recruit for.

This has allowed us to provide a unique, in-depth understanding of the motivations of professionals, enabling you to significantly enhance your recruitment strategy and better retain valuable talent.

MethodologyWe carried out a survey in February 2017, which secured over 13,650 responses. The survey was sent to people on the Hays database (not limited to current jobseekers) and allowed us to gain the perspective of both employees and employers.

The survey was completed by professionals across the UK, from across 12 different specialist skilled and technical areas. It was also completed by hiring managers and HR professionals from a variety of organisation types and sizes across the public and private sectors. The survey size allowed us to analyse the data according to level of seniority, gender, generation and sector.

DevelopmentWould decline a job if it didn’t offer professional development

Cultural fitPrepared to take a pay cut to achieve a better cultural fit

Work-life balance Deem that they have a positive work-life balance

Ambition Consider themselves ambitious to progress their career

Key indicators

62% 39%

78% 51%


This comprehensive report is focused around the four key elements – pay, culture, career progression and benefits – that people factor into their decision-making process when considering whether to stay with an organisation or whether to accept a new job.

KEY FINDINGS

Overall, the findings show that there are few differences between what makes somebody stay in a role and what attracts them into a new role. Results show that professionals are interested in the full package that their employer has to offer and are looking for an organisation that will invest in their personal development. Reinforcing with employees what is available to them throughout their career and what choices they may have in terms of benefits or training, for example, will help keep staff engaged long-term. Effective communication of these options to potential hires is also important.

The chart below examines how the key factors of pay, culture, career progression and benefits influence an employee’s decision about whether to stay with their employer or join a new one. Respondents were asked to weight the different elements according to how much importance they attributed to each of them.

Competitive pay is important, but not a stand-alone influencePay, not surprisingly, is the single most important factor, influencing around 45% of a worker’s decision as to whether to accept a job or to stay in their current role, and two-thirds say their job search is focused around achieving a higher salary. Setting and maintaining a competitive pay level is therefore important.

However, 55% of a worker’s decision is also influenced by other factors, so employers need to think beyond purely pay and consider the other factors such as culture, career progression and benefits. This is particularly true for the younger generations, who are less motivated by pay alone.

Further to this, pay is the only factor on which employees say they are willing to compromise. Almost two-thirds (61%) stated that they would consider taking a pay cut in order to achieve other elements that are important to them, such as their ideal benefits package. This highlights how important it is for employers to look at the overall package they are offering and not focus on pay in isolation.

Cultural fit is a differentiator requiring greater focusEmployers and employees agree that a good cultural fit is important. 97% of employers say cultural fit is very or quite important, rating it above the individual’s potential and qualifications when assessing a new hire. Employees also rate culture as the second most important factor influencing their career decisions. In fact, 62% say they would be prepared to take a pay cut to work for an organisation that offers a better cultural fit.

An effective discussion on the culture and what that means for employees should therefore be a key part of the interview process. Unfortunately, that does not appear to be the case. Although 87% of employers state they discuss culture during interviews, only around two-thirds (63%) of employees say culture was discussed in their last interview. This means that a significant number of candidates are not hearing the information that is important to them when weighing up a potential new job.

Taking the time to understand and sell what it is about your workplace culture that creates job satisfaction in addition to setting clear expectations at the interview and beyond, may well be the differentiator in your recruitment and retention programmes.

44.5%

24.9%

19.1%

11.5%

45.5%

24.8%

17.6%

12.1%

Culture

Career progression

Benefits

STAY ACCEPT

Pay

How professionals decide whether to accept a new job vs. stay with their current organisation


Professionals want training, but may be underutilising what’s on offer 78% of the workforce consider themselves ambitious and over a third (38%) aspire to senior management. When promoted, aside from better pay and benefits, 40% of professionals stated that they most wanted recognition and respect, followed by training and development (28%). Both of these were rated above things like moving up a level (21%) and securing a better job title (4%). This illustrates the importance that people place on their learning and development. This seems to be understood, as 70% of employers offer some form of training. However, less than 40% of professionals say they actually receive training, with the biggest gap evident in the number of employees who receive third party training (37%) versus the number of employers who say they offer this (74%).

The importance of training is also apparent during the recruitment process where all seniority levels, from C-suite to junior management, always consider an organisation’s training policy when assessing whether to apply or not.

In conclusion, employers should re-appraise how they both communicate and actively promote the training and development programmes that are available for new and existing employees.

Candidates look for policies on benefits before applyingAlthough benefits are the least influential factor, when compared to pay, culture and career progression, they are not overlooked. Candidates will almost always consider what benefits policies are available to them before deciding whether or not to apply. For example, the majority of professionals (84%) stated that they consider an organisation’s flexible working policies, 85% of professionals consider health and wellbeing offerings, such as health insurance, and 86% will look for training programmes and continued professional development policies. Should employers not promote their benefits policies effectively, they run the risk of losing good candidates by not highlighting parts of the overall rewards package that may be expected as standard.

Interestingly, 31% of professionals will always consider an organisation’s diversity policy, with an additional 35% sometimes looking for it, reflecting a growing interest in this area. If employers have diversity policies or initiatives, they should be sure to highlight them to prospective employees.

WHAT DO TODAY’S WORKERS WANT FROM THEIR CAREER?The full packageIt is clear that professionals across all seniority levels, genders and generations are looking for their employer to enable a positive career experience that develops their job satisfaction. Forging a successful career is important, and ambition and loyalty are clearly evident, but they also want a better work-life balance.

A combination of factors creates that positive career experience. Pay is important and needs to be competitive, but given that 55% of employees base their career decisions on aspects other than pay, employers need to look at how else they can achieve a competitive edge.

For example, cultural fit is highly prioritised by employees and should be a key area of focus for employers, particularly when promoting new opportunities.

More effective communication may in itself resolve some of the gaps between employee expectations and what they are experiencing. Employers should ensure that line managers and their hiring community are well-versed in their organisational culture, knowledgeable on career progression and informed on benefit and development programmes. They should then ensure that these vital components are discussed in-depth during both recruitment and career development conversations.

Reinforcing with employees what is available to them throughout their career and what choices they may have in terms of benefits or training, for example, will help keep staff engaged long-term.


Using the information gleaned from this report, we have outlined some key recommendations for employers to consider. Following these will help employers better retain and attract the skilled professionals they need, and help them build their talent pipelines for the future.

Prioritise communication as part of your recruitment and retention programmes

Promote the total package from your online platforms through to your people managers

Professionals are interested in everything that their job has to offer from pay, career progression and culture to benefits. Yet, based on the findings, it is evident that there is a gap in employee awareness as to what is available to them. Ensuring information is easily accessible and communicated consistently from when someone first comes across your organisation online through to their regular dealings with their manager may be what gives you a competitive advantage in recruiting and retaining talent.

Employers should consider assessing their own hiring managers’ knowledge of the organisation’s benefits policies, for example, to ensure they can confidently explain the detail of what their organisation has to offer prospective candidates. This may also act as a positive retention mechanism, creating an opportunity to re-engage with middle management about what they may or may not be utilising as part of their own package.

Interviews need to be two-way

The interview is a key time for you to let a prospective candidate know what is on offer. Despite employers stating that they discuss many of the pertinent elements of the job and the rewards package during interviews, far fewer candidates acknowledged this.

To address this issue, and to ensure the interview fosters a two-way discussion helping both parties determine if this is an ideal match or not, employers should consider a review of their interview structure and questioning techniques. Additional training of hiring managers may also be necessary to improve the recruitment of a good candidate match.

Celebrate staff achievements

Today, all generations and seniority levels prioritise recognition and respect and their own personal development, so review whether your promotion criteria and rewards are in line with what your employees want – a positive experience.

Think about how you recognise and celebrate your staff successes, as this may be key to keeping your staff happy longer-term. Make sure your managers have access to communication channels to promote achievements across the organisation, not just within their own team.

Finally, use your staff’s milestones to reinforce key messages about what is available to them, such as professional development. Employees want an employer who will invest in their learning and development but they may be hesitant to ask for it, as results show they are underutilising what is on offer. Take the opportunity of a promotion, for example, to demonstrate your commitment to your staff by emphasising to them what is available.

RECOMMENDATIONS


What to focus on?

1 Promoting the total package

2 Investing in a range of training options

3 Building a strong workplace culture

4 Offering recognition and respect with promotions

5 Benefits options

What to avoid?

1 Sole focus on salary

2 Only offering in-house training

3 Screening based on qualifications alone

4 Promotions based primarily on seniority

5 Fixed benefits


If you are not sure how these findings could be applied to your organisation or want to discuss any of the insight raised within this guide please speak to one of our recruiting experts. Visit hays.co.uk/offices to find your local consultant.


THE FULL PACKAGEPAY IMPORTANT BUT CULTURE DECISIVE

Pay benchmarking important There can be no denying that pay is an important factor for professionals. 45% of a professional’s decision to accept a job or stay in a role is influenced by the pay that is on offer.

This is the case regardless of gender, generation, seniority or sector. However, one of the more prominent gaps is evident between the generations, with the older generations putting more emphasis on pay. Baby Boomers weighted pay more heavily in their decision compared to Generation Z (51% compared to 40%).

When asked what they most want from a new job, two-thirds (66%) of candidates state that they would focus on securing a higher salary. Benchmarking can help give employers access to the most up-to-date information so they can position salary at a competitive level and ensure that money doesn’t become a barrier to attracting talented professionals.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, pay also remains high on the agenda for professionals considering a promotion. 58% of employees would expect a pay rise of above 10% and 10% would expect a pay rise of above 20%.

Percentages at a glance

45 49 63864038 397862

consider pay to be the single most important factor when deciding whether to accept a new job or stay in their current one

of employees are ambitious

rate their work-life balance as average, poor or terrible

always or sometimes consider training policies when assessing employers

would decline a job opportunity if no training or development was offered

would be prepared to take a

pay cut for the right cultural fit

hope for respect and recognition

from a promotionwant to reach

senior management

of employees said culture was discussed during

their last interview

Pay is the single most important factor for professionals, yet they are not satisfied by salary alone. In fact, other factors such as career progression, the organisation’s culture and benefits are collectively more influential to a person’s career-related decisions.

Professionals, however, are somewhat dissatisfied in their current roles. This may not necessarily be the result of employers not offering what their employees want, but may instead be due to a lack of awareness of what is available to them, pushing them to look elsewhere.

To be competitive in recruiting and retaining professionals, employers should ensure they are offering a total package and communicating all aspects of it effectively, from interview through to career development conversations.

How important is pay when considering whether to accept a new job? (%)

Baby Boomers(born 1940 to 1960)

Generation X(born 1961 to 1982)

Generation Y(born 1983 to 1995)

Generation Z(born after 1995)

51

40

47

41


Younger generations motivated by bonusesNot only is salary important to employees, but bonuses also have an important role to play as a key part of the rewards package. However, over half (51%) of respondents stated that performance-related bonuses are either demotivating or have no impact. This is a notable figure and employers might want to consider how they use bonuses given their apparent lack of impact on staff motivation.

However, despite younger generations placing less importance on pay overall, the findings show that they are still motivated by financial rewards. Three-quarters of Generation Z, compared to just over a third (36%) of Baby Boomers, stated that they find bonuses motivating. Employers therefore need to consider whether their bonus strategies are effectively aligned to the younger generations and ensure they are focused on driving positive behaviours and performance.

Do you find performance-related bonuses motivating? (%)





No impact DemotivatingMotivating

36 44 20

46 35 19

61

75

26 13

14 11

Overall 49 34 17

Pay doesn’t provide satisfaction in isolationAlmost two-thirds (61%) of respondents stated that they would be willing to take a pay cut if a new job offered everything else that is important, with almost a third (32%) stating that they would accept a pay cut of over 5%.

It is also noteworthy that men are more willing to take a greater pay cut than women to secure a better job. Not only are 62% of men prepared to take a pay cut, but 37% are willing to take a pay cut of over 5%, compared to only 29% of women.

Just over a third (36%) of employees also stated that they would be prepared to take a pay cut to secure more annual leave. This was slightly higher amongst Generation X and Generation Z (both 38%).

Professionals are also prepared to compromise on pay to achieve a better cultural fit (either in terms of securing a role which is a better fit for their personality or for their personal needs). Almost two-thirds (62%) of respondents stated that they would be prepared to take a pay cut to achieve a better cultural fit with an organisation. This is true across genders. Over half (52%) are willing to take a cut of up to 10%.

Would you take a pay cut if a new job opportunity offered everything else that was important to you? Such as ideal benefits, career progression and location (%)

Male

Female

Overall

Yes, 15%–20% Yes, 10%–5% Yes, 5%–10% Yes, below 5%Yes, above 20% No

6 19 312

38

40

39

8 23 253

7 21 292

2

3

2

Almost two-thirds (62%) of respondents stated that they would be prepared to take a pay cut to achieve a better cultural fit with an organisation.


Professionals looking for a diverse and engaging culture Cultural fit is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ given that there is considerable dissatisfaction amongst the workforce – over a third (36%) of workers are dissatisfied or indifferent to their current role. A quarter (25%) of employees state that they prioritise culture both when considering staying with an employer and when considering a new job, and it is the second most important factor in the decision-making process.

In line with this emphasis on culture, it is noteworthy that 85% of employees said it was very important to get on well with colleagues in the workplace and this number rose to 94% for Generation Z. Employers should factor this in when recruiting so that they build teams that work effectively together.

However, this is not about recruiting the same ‘type’ of person into a team because diversity is firmly on the radar of employees. Two-thirds (66%) say they always or sometimes consider diversity policies when assessing a new employer. This reflects a growing interest in this area.

Professionals are not the only ones who recognise the importance of culture, as the vast majority of employers (97%) state that employing people who demonstrate a strong cultural fit is very or quite important. Indeed, when looking at what employers deem to be important when considering a new hire, cultural fit comes second only to a candidate’s skillset. Almost a quarter rank it above a candidate’s potential and even their qualifications.

How important is it that you get on well with colleagues in work? (%)

How important are the following when considering a new hire? (%)

Very important Quite important Not important

Skill set Cultural fi t Potential Qualifi cations

85

39 24

1

16

14

21

A workforce that is stressed and off-balanceProfessionals are feeling overworked. Almost half of the workforce (49%) rate their work-life balance as average, poor or terrible. It therefore is not surprising that over two-thirds (67%) say that they would be attracted to work for an organisation that restricts ‘out of hours’ working, such as overtime, checking emails and taking calls.

It is also evident that work-life balance gets worse in correlation with seniority: a higher number of C-suite and senior managers rate their work-life balance as poor or terrible compared to non-managers (20% C-suite, 18% senior management compared to 12% non-management). Addressing work-life balance issues with staff of all levels could therefore be a strong retention tool, in particular with senior management where there is such high competition for talent.

When looking for a new role, over a third (37%) of professionals across all seniority levels and generations are hoping it will offer an improvement to their work-life balance, ranking this higher than aspects such as long-term opportunities or a more challenging role.

49% rate their work-life balance as average, poor or terrible

How do you rate your work-life balance? (%)

C-suite

Senior management

Middle management

Junior management

Good Average Poor Terrible Excellent

Non-management

13 29 15 538

10 35 337

12

12

33 12 241

44 31 2

15 42 31 2

Overall 12 39 33 3

15

11

10

13


Progression means more than a promotionAlthough career progression was only weighted the third most influential factor in employees’ career-related decisions, the workforce is ambitious and this is important. 78% of employees are ambitious and 81% of employers say they want their prospective employees to be ambitious. Employers and employees both state that the benefit of this ambition is that they work harder and get better results.

Over a third (38%) of workers would like to reach senior management and a fifth (21%) aspire to reach C-suite level. It is also noteworthy that aspirations to reach senior management differ very little between the genders, but far fewer women say they want to reach C-suite level (15% of women compared to 29% of men).

The findings also show that the younger generations (Generation Y and Z) are more eager to reach C-suite level, with around a quarter (25% Generation Z and 24% Generation Y) looking to reach this level compared to only 16% of Baby Boomers. This highlights the importance of having effective retention and succession plans in order to nurture this ambition and promote progression to the top jobs.

When promoted, aside from better pay and benefits, 40% of professionals stated that they most wanted recognition and respect. This was followed by over a quarter (28%) who stated that they wanted training and development. Both of these were rated above aspects such as moving up a level (21%) and securing a better job title (4%). Professionals want to be invested in, to be able to develop a strong profile and personal brand within their organisation and to be recognised for their accomplishments.

78% of employees are ambitious and 81% of employers say they want their prospective employees to be ambitious.

Aside of pay and benefits, which of the following is most important to you when you are promoted?

1 2 3

654

Recognition and respect

Training and development

Move up a level

Increase direct reports

Better job title

Increase in budget

What level of seniority do you hope to reach in your career? (%)

C-suite Senior management Middle management Junior management Non-management Other





Overall

16

20

24

25 38

43

39

11

15

18

4

3

5

1

2

3

17

22

18

21

33

21

27

212

38 2314

3


Training underutilised by employees Professionals want investment in their learning and development. All seniority levels, from C-suite to junior management, stated that they always consider an organisation’s training policy when assessing whether or not to apply. 39% of employees even say they would decline a job opportunity if the employer could not offer any professional development or training.

The importance that employees place on their learning and development seems to be understood, as 70% of employers state that they offer some form of training. However, there is a disparity between what employers say they offer and when employees say they receive. This mismatch is even apparent during interview where 76% of employers say they talk about career progression, yet only 38% of candidates state that this was discussed.

This mismatch is also evident when looking at the types of training. Although 87% of employers say they offer on-the-job training, just over half (55%) of employees say they receive it. While 74% of employers say they offer third party training, such as towards formal industry qualifications, only around half this number (37%) say they actually receive it. This is particularly noteworthy given that it is the most desired type of training.

There is also a significant gap when looking at mentoring. 60% of employers say they offer it, 47% of employees say they would like it, but only 23% of employees say they receive it. The lack of focus, investment and communication of the training support on offer is likely to be having a negative effect on staff retention.

On-the-job

Third party

In-house

Mentoring

Training support within organisations (%)

Off ered by employers Desirable from a new employer Received by employees

8766

74

3770

7252

60

23

Benefits expected but not prioritisedCompared to pay, culture and progression, the least important factor in the decision about whether to stay in a current job or accept a new job is benefits. However, there is a level of expectation from employees who view benefits as part of the ‘standard’ offering. This may explain why benefits are ranked lower and employees are not prioritising them.

An organisation’s policies are key in shaping the benefits packages on offer to employees, and professionals take this into account when assessing a potential new employer. The top three benefits policies considered are: training, health and wellbeing, and flexible working.

Health and wellbeing policies are also important, with 85% of employees stating that they consider these policies. Flexible working continues to be a desirable benefit. It was the highest ranked benefit in the Hays Salary & Recruiting Trends 2017 guide, with two-thirds (66%) of employees rating it as important. 85% of employees also state that they deem flexible working to be very or quite important in a future organisation and 84% state that they always or sometimes take an organisation’s flexible working policies into consideration when assessing a potential new employer.

Social responsibility, and maternity and paternity policies are far less frequently considered by employees (19% and 15% respectively).

55

43

47


Interviews are a missed opportunity Based on the above findings, it is clear that employees are prioritising the total package. Results also show that employers’ views are aligned with their employees in recognising the importance of professional development and culture. Despite this, employees don’t appear to be clear as to what their current employer offers. This lack of clarity is also reported during job interviews.

For example, although it is positive that over half (55%) of employers state that they discuss the benefits on offer with potential candidates during interviews, only just over a quarter (28%) of employees recall this. This suggests a breakdown in communication or a potential mismatch in what is considered to be a benefit. 13% of employees stated that they would be tempted to consider a new job if it offered benefits more aligned with their needs.

Further to this, it appears that employers are not always discussing or prioritising aspects that pertain to culture, such as work-life balance. For example, during interviews almost a quarter (21%) rarely or never discuss health and wellbeing policies with a potential employee, and over a quarter (28%) state that flexible working is not important to their organisation.

Culture is a hugely important factor to an employee’s decision and interviews are a key stage to evaluate cultural fit. However, although 87% of employers state that they discussed culture during their last interview, only 63% of employees agree. With such a gap, employers should consider how well they are articulating their cultural message and whether their assessment practices are helping them to find a great match.

Pay

Culture

Career progression

Benefits

What was discussed during your last interview? (%)

Employees Employers

53

87

76

55

42

63

38

28

Improved communication may drive loyalty Over a quarter (28%) of respondents expect to work for fewer than five employers during their career, so generally professionals are not looking to job hop. Younger generations are even more loyal to organisations. 39% of Generation Z stated that they expect to work for fewer than five organisations, compared to only 27% of Baby Boomers. With one-third (34%) expecting to be in a role for between two to five years before a promotion, it indicates there is potential to achieve loyalty from the workforce.

Better communication about what is available to employees, at the initial interview and in subsequent development conversations, may help staff to stay engaged and remain loyal. Setting clear expectations from the outset, and maintaining this dialogue, will be key to ensuring job satisfaction is achieved.

Health and wellbeing

Training

Flexible working

Diversity

What policies do you take into consideration when assessing a potential new employer? (%)

Always Sometimes Rarely Never

Social responsibility

Maternity/paternity

49 36 10 5

49 37 9 5

47 37 11 5

31 35 20 14

41 1319

38262115

27


Focus on culture across both gendersWhen looking at the findings, it is clear that there are key similarities and differences between the genders that employers need to be aware of. Both genders weight pay as most important to their decision about whether to stay in a job or accept a new job. However, men place slightly more emphasis on it, with just over 46% stating that pay is important in a new job compared to nearly 45% of women. Women attribute slightly less importance to career progression in a new job (18%), but slightly more importance to the organisation’s culture (26%).

Over a quarter of women feel culture is important when considering staying or whether to accept a new job. Almost two-thirds (63%) of women state that they would be prepared to take a pay cut to work for an organisation that offers a better cultural fit, compared to 61% of men. However, men are prepared to give up more of their salary to achieve it, with almost a third (32%) stating that they would be prepared to take a pay cut of 5% or more to achieve a better cultural fit, compared to only 28% of women.

Nearly a third (31%) of employees stated that they always consider an organisation’s diversity policies when assessing a potential new employer, so organisations should ensure they have these in place and are communicating them effectively. However, slightly fewer women recall discussing culture during their last interview (62% of women compared to 64% of men). This a significant gap for employers to address given that over a third don’t receive this valuable insight into the organisation’s culture at a critical time during their recruitment.

45.4% 43.9%

23.6% 25.8%

19.5% 18.8%

11.5% 11.5%

46.4% 44.8%

23.9% 25.5%

17.9% 17.5%

11.8% 12.2%

Culture

Career progression

Benefits

Stay

Male Female

StayAccept Accept

Pay

SPOTLIGHT ON GENDER

Male

Female

Yes, 5% or above Yes, below 5% No

32 29 39

3728 35

Women seeking wellbeing from work-life balanceThe level of job satisfaction and how professionals rate their current work-life balance is relatively even across the genders (around half rate their work-life balance as average, poor or terrible).

Improved wellbeing and lower stress levels are perceived to be the main benefits of an improvement to work-life balance for both genders, but a higher percentage of women compared

to men believe this to be the case (47% of women compared to 33% of men). In contrast, fewer women (13% compared to 20% of men) believe that the main benefit of improved work-life balance is that they will be more productive.

Women also put a greater emphasis on flexible working. 53% of women state that it is very important in a future organisation compared to 43% of men.

Would you be prepared to take a pay cut to work for an organisation offering a better cultural fit? (%)

This chart examines how the key factors of pay, culture, career progression and benefits influence an employees’ decision about whether to stay in an organisation or whether to accept a new job.

Given that many organisations are focused on narrowing the gender gap, it is critical they understand how expectations and motivations differ between the genders. Our survey findings showed some marked differences – some can only be tackled over time with a significant cultural shift – others can be addressed within organisations to support retention and facilitate the building of a gender diverse workforce.


Putting reward and recognition at the heart of promotionsWhen looking at what is important to men and women when they are promoted there are several differences, although they both value pay and benefits above everything else. Outside of this, women are more inclined to want respect and recognition from a promotion (40% compared to 38% of men). Women also put more focus on securing additional training and development opportunities as part of a promotion (30% compared to 25% of men).

Women showing less aspiration to reach the very top job The survey findings also reveal that although both genders are ambitious and want to progress to senior management (38% for both genders), fewer women are aspiring to reach board-level positions within their organisations. 29% of men want to reach C-suite level – such as Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Financial Officer – compared to only 15% of women. This could reflect that the support and development structures still are not in place for women and that the glass ceiling is still limiting women’s ambitions.

Improved wellbeing

More time with friends and family

More productive

Male Female

3347

25

20

29

What do you perceive to be the main benefits of an improved work-life balance? (%)

STEP CHANGE NEEDED TO ADDRESS DIVERSITYWe work with organisations to help them understand where their diversity challenges lie, how their recruitment strategies can help overcome them, and where the opportunities are. Many organisations are actively looking to open up their talent pools and increase the number of female applicants due to the prevalence of skills shortages. Understanding the primary motivators that the different genders have will help in attracting and retaining the best.

Organisations should concentrate their candidate attraction strategies on positive career experience and the training on offer, rather than solely on salary and financial rewards. While culture is important to both men and women, they have slightly different priorities and employers should consider this at all times. Having a strong employer brand which conveys a diverse culture, particularly to talented women, will be key. Employers must ensure they proactively discuss the topic at interview stage.

If using promotions as a way to retain their female talent, employers should emphasise the aspects that matter most to them – namely recognising their achievements and ensuring promotions are accompanied by additional training and development opportunities. They should also consider how they can help women to raise their personal brand within the organisation to support their development even further.

However, although there has been some progress we still need to see a shift towards more women aspiring to the most senior board-level positions within their organisations. It is therefore essential for employers to ensure that all employees, regardless of gender, are aware of the professional opportunities available to them, and are confident they can excel in positions of leadership.

Yvonne Smyth, Head of Diversity, Hays

Male Female

Top three aspects that are important when promoted (%)

13



4038

3025


Finance professionals have high aspirations to reach senior management positions, and want recognition for their successes. Recognising and rewarding top talent is key for employers to attract and retain the best.

ACCOUNTANCY & FINANCE

Seeking recognitionAccountancy and finance professionals are driven, with just over three-quarters (76%) saying they are ambitious. Delving deeper, qualified private sector accountants (81%), part-qualified accountants (76%) and credit controllers (75%) are amongst the most ambitious. As a result, 28% aspire to reach C-suite level, such as CEO or CFO, higher than the 21% overall average, and an additional 40% want to reach senior management.

Financial remuneration is a key aspect of a promotion, and 69% of professionals would expect a pay increase of between 5% to 15% when considering taking on a new role. Bonuses too are integral to rewarding employees. Over three-quarters (78%) of accountancy and finance professionals would prefer a pay and bonus split of majority fixed pay with a small bonus (greater than the average of 69%), and 57% say they find bonuses motivating (higher than the average of 49%).

However, it is not just about pay. 44% of accountancy and finance professionals say the most important part of a promotion is the recognition and respect it brings, greater than the overall average of 40%. Seniority matters too, with only 6% saying seniority is not important (lower than the average of 10%). Interestingly, moving up a level has the same value to

finance professionals as the training and development options available (both 23%). This is contrary to the overall average where higher focus was placed on training and development.

However, training is still a consideration. Whilst finance professionals are less likely than the overall average to want to receive training support from their employer, 44% say the most important way professional qualifications support their career is by giving them added credibility. This is given precedence over being a requirement for the job (17%), allowing professionals to do their job effectively (13%) and allowing them to earn more (10%).

Despite the importance placed on career progression, there appears to be a mismatch in communication around promotion expectations. Over half of employees (55%) expect to be promoted within two years of starting a new role, yet only 47% of employers agree.

Employers should therefore clearly communicate promotion plans and remuneration incentives with finance professionals to avoid losing out on ambitious individuals. Ensuring suitable channels are in place to promote individual and team successes to the wider organisation is also an important way to motivate employees to achieve their best.

Career decision influencers There are many similarities between the overall findings and those for accountancy and finance professionals. They gave similar weightings to pay, culture, career progression and benefits as the overall average when deciding whether to stay in a role or accept a new job. It is also evident that there is minimal difference between what makes somebody stay versus what attracts them, which is again in line with the overall findings.

Pay was given the highest weighting of the four, and has more influence on the decision to accept a new role (almost 47%) than the decision to stay in a current organisation (over 45%). This focus on pay consequently impacted the importance placed on workplace culture and career progression, with both being given lower weightings. However, workplace culture is still a significant factor in whether accountancy and finance professionals accept a new job or stay in a role, amounting to nearly a quarter of the decision.

Career progression is the third influence and accounts for nearly 19% of the decision to stay compared to 17% when considering accepting a role. Progression may not factor as strongly in the decision to accept a new role as career paths in this profession are typically very structured and usually follow a clear path, making it more of a standard expectation.

Benefits were given the lowest weighting by those working in accountancy and finance. It does however still account for nearly 12% of the decision, in line with the overall averages for both staying in a role and accepting a new one.

45.3%Pay

24.4%Culture

18.9%Progression

11.4%Benefits

46.6%

24.2%

17.1%

12.1%

STAY ACCEPT



Accountancy & Finance Overall Key indicators

How do professional qualifications support your career? (%)

Give me added credibility Requirement of my job Allow me to do my job eff ectively Allow me to earn more Allow me to develop new skills Other

Top tip

Professionals hope their achievements are recognised on their way to progressing to the top jobs. Help employees to raise their professional profile and credibility within the organisation by recognising and rewarding successes.

Insights

LoyaltyUnder a quarter expect to work for fewer than five employers during their career

PayThese professionals attribute the same importance to pay as the overall average

DevelopmentAlmost a third would turn down a job offer if it didn’t offer any training or development

Cultural fitOver three-fifths would take a pay cut for a job that offered a better cultural fit

Work-life balance Over half of accountancy and finance professionals have a good or excellent work-life balance

Ambition Over three-quarters of accountancy and finance professionals consider themselves ambitious

66% 24%

61% 32%

76% 51%

66% 28%

62% 39%

78% 51%

What level of seniority do you hope to reach in your career?

Accountancy & Finance Overall

C-Suite SeniorManagement

MiddleManagement

28% 40% 13%21% 38% 14%

55%of accountancy and finance professionals expect to be promoted within two years of starting a new role

44

17

13

9

7

10


Ambition is high in the industry, with professionals aiming to reach senior positions. As a result, professionals are prioritising employers who offer a wide variety of training and professional development.

CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY

Focused on growth and developmentAlthough pay has a slightly greater influence on construction and property professionals’ decision regarding whether to stay in an organisation or accept a new job, it still only accounts for half of their decisions and professionals would be willing to compromise on pay. For example, nearly three-fifths (57%) would be willing to take a pay cut if a new job opportunity offered everything else that was important, such as ideal benefits and career progression. Of these, 46% say they would take a reduction in salary of up to 10%.

Construction and property professionals are highly ambitious. 87% consider themselves to be ambitious, compared to the overall average of 78%. This is driving the majority of employees to aspire to reach senior management levels or above in their career, with 23% hoping to reach a board-level position.

Career pathways tend to be quite structured within construction and property, so employers need to provide training support where possible. This is particularly pertinent because 46% of professionals would decline a job offer if the employer was unable to offer any professional development or training. This is higher than the average of 39%, highlighting the importance of training opportunities in this industry.

Over half (52%) of professionals always consider the training opportunities on offer when assessing a new employer. In addition, 73% say they would like a future employer to provide third party training towards industry qualifications, such as those from the CIOB. However, only just over two-fifths (43%) currently receive this support from their current employer. On-the-job training and mentoring are also desired by employees (61% and 37% respectively) and are relatively low cost, but far fewer employees say they receive these forms of training (47% and 21% respectively).

Given the number of chartered bodies in the construction and property industry, there is a wide choice of third party training support employers can offer to their teams if they are prepared to make this investment. Doing this will help employers overcome skill shortages in the industry, as well as providing professionals with the required skills to reach their career goals.

Career decision influencers Construction and property professionals rank pay, culture, career progression and benefits in the same order of importance as the overall average. Pay is the single most important factor influencing construction and property professionals’ career-related decisions, followed by culture, career progression and benefits.

When comparing the influence that these factors have on the decision of whether to accept a new job versus stay in their current role, there is minimal difference between what makes somebody stay versus what attracts them, which again is in line with the overall findings.

Although there are similarities between the overall findings and construction and property professionals, there are also some notable differences. For example, construction and property professionals put slightly more emphasis (approximately 4%) on the influence that pay has on their career-related decisions versus the overall average. Where pay increases in terms of influence, the importance of culture decreases (20% versus overall average of 25%).

Career progression and culture are almost equally weighted in terms of importance by construction and property professionals. In line with the overall theme, it is therefore the total package that is important because even within construction and property, where pay is weighted higher than the overall average, it is not a stand-alone factor.

48.9%

19.6%

19.0%

12.5%

49.3%

20.3%

17.9%

12.5%

STAY ACCEPT


Pay

Culture

Progression

Benefits


LoyaltyAlmost a third expect to work for fewer than five employers in their career

PayA high proportion of these professionals are motivated to move jobs for better pay

DevelopmentJust under half would turn down a job which didn’t offer any training or development

Cultural fitFewer of these professionals would be willing to take a pay cut in exchange for a better cultural fit

Work-life balance These professionals are less satisfied with their work-life balance than the average

Ambition Construction and property professionals are highly ambitious and seek career progression

Construction & Property Overall

70% 31%

56% 46%

87% 46%

66% 28%

62% 39%

78% 51%

Key indicators

Third party

On-the-job

In-house

Mentoring


Desirable from a new employer Received by employees

7343

47

4638

3721

61

57%of construction and property professionals would take a pay cut if a new job offered everything else important

Top tip

Investment in professional development is the top priority. For example, consider investing in training with chartered institutes or support your teams to attend networking events hosted by institutes, such as CIOB, CIBSE, RICS and ICE.

Insights


Construction & Property Overall

Board-level

23%21%

SeniorManagement

42%38%Middle

Management

13%14%


Education professionals are inclined to be loyal provided they are bought into their school or academy’s culture. Rewarding success and promoting positive work-life balance are key to attracting talent and could be better communicated at interview.

EDUCATION

Cultural buy-in driving loyaltyEducation professionals have a propensity to be loyal, as 45% expect to work for fewer than five employers during their career, far higher than the overall average of 28%. Cultural buy-in is an important differentiating factor. In fact, three-fifths of education professionals say they would be willing to take a pay cut for a better workplace culture.

The type of school or academy has a significant bearing on the culture, so it is positive that over half want to remain working in their current environment. For example, 83% of those working in a local authority (LA) maintained school would prefer to stay working in that type of school. This compares to 51% of those in a standalone academy wanting to stay in this type of organisation.

Identifying the right cultural match is considered important to these professionals, but a miscommunication during interview may be why employees are looking elsewhere. For example, 80% of employers told us they discuss culture during interviews (below the 87% overall average), but only just over half (54%) of education professionals recall discussing this during their last interview (much lower than the 63% average).

Given the importance education professionals place on culture in their career-related decisions, this miscommunication is likely to inhibit the ability of schools to attract the best candidates and could also impact job satisfaction and retention further down the line.

Work-life balance is key to a positive work environment, yet just 42% of education professionals currently enjoy a good or excellent work-life balance, lower than the overall average (51%). This declines at more senior levels to just 24% for TLRs, 26% for headteachers and 30% for assistant headteachers.

Poor work-life balance at more senior positions may explain why just 16% say moving up a level is the main benefit of a promotion. Instead, 36% of education staff value recognition and respect as the most important aspect of a promotion aside from better pay and benefits. Through rewarding success and enabling a positive work-life balance, schools, academies and MATs can create a culture that employees want to be part of and build loyalty.

Career decision influencers Pay is the single most important factor influencing education professionals’ career-related decisions. However, other factors such as culture, career progression and benefits together influence around 56% of the decision.

Culture is very influential, and much more so for education professionals than the overall average by over 5%, influencing around 30% of their decision to stay in a role or accept a new job. This is the highest weighting given to culture across all professions explored in this report.

In contrast, career progression is deemed to be slightly less important for these professionals than to the overall average. This may be influenced by the lower than average work-life balance among education professionals, particularly those in leadership positions, as discussed below.

Benefits comprises around 9% of the decision as to whether to stay in a role or accept a new job. This was the lowest weighting given to benefits among all the professions. Although this is starting to change, teachers and others working in education typically tend to receive a standard benefits package, meaning this may be more of a base-line expectation than a factor to differentiate by.

43.7%

30.4%

17.0%

8.9%

44.5%

29.5%

16.5%

9.5%

STAY ACCEPT


Pay

Culture

Progression

Benefits


Education Overall Key indicators

Top tip

Schools, academies and MATs who effectively promote their culture in job adverts, at interview and throughout employment will be better able to attract and retain the best and most loyal education professionals.

Insights

LoyaltyAlmost half expect to work for fewer than five schools during their career

PayFewer education professionals would move roles for a higher salary than the overall average

DevelopmentTwo-fifths would turn down a job that offered no training or development

Cultural fitThree-fifths of those working in education would take apay cut for a better cultural fit

Work-life balance Education professionals are less likely to rate work-life balance as good or excellent than the average

Ambition Education professionalsare less ambitious than the overall average

56% 45%

60% 44%

69% 42%

66% 28%

62% 39%

78% 51%

Federation/trust/small local or regional MAT

LA maintained school

Standalone academy

Large national MAT

What type of school would you like to work in? (% who stated the same type of school as they currently work in)

62

83

51

57

Most important things when being promoted outside of salary (%)

Education Overall



37% 36%28% 40%

Move up a level

16%21%


Engineering professionals are ambitious and seek career progression. They are actively looking for training to help grow their skills, and therefore this is one of the most effective tools to develop and attract talent in a skills-short market.

ENGINEERING

Seeking training to close skills gapsFour-fifths of engineering professionals are ambitious and almost half would decline a job offer if no professional development or training was offered, 10% more than the average. In addition, just over half (51%) of engineering professionals always consider an organisation’s training policies when evaluating a new role.

With 74% of engineering professionals saying they would like to receive external training support from a new employer, the importance of professional development is clear. However, whilst 80% of employers say they offer third party training to employees, only 42% of professionals say they receive this benefit, indicating a mismatch in communication.

This mismatch is further highlighted by the fact that less than half (47%) recalled career progression being spoken about during their last interview, much lower than the 78% of employers who say they routinely discuss this. Given the skills shortages in areas such as manufacturing, design and mechanical and electrical engineering, employers would benefit from effectively promoting the training they offer to help attract sought-after talent.

Engineering professionals are not necessarily seeking a traditional career path. Aside from better pay and benefits, over a third (38%) believe the most important aspect of being promoted is recognition and respect, followed by access to further training and development opportunities (26%). Both of these factors rank higher than moving up a level within an organisation (22%), further highlighting the importance of offering ongoing training and development support to nurture employees’ ambition.

Engineering employers said that ambitious professionals get better results (27%), challenge the status quo (20%) and are more innovative (18%), which is essential for engineering organisations to compete in an ever-changing sector.

By supporting employees with more training offerings, organisations will be better equipped with the skills they need by developing these from within. In addition, by offering these benefits and opportunities as part of a wider package supported by competitive pay and an attractive workplace culture, employers will attract the most talented professionals to help their organisations thrive.

Career decision influencers Whether looking for a new role or considering staying in their current job, engineering professionals weight pay above any other factor, and place slightly greater emphasis on it than the overall average.

Employers must take steps to benchmark their salaries against the market rate, but as this influences less than half of engineering professionals’ decisions, organisations should balance this with promoting other aspects of their organisation to differentiate them as an employer of choice.

Culture is a key factor to promote. Despite being of less importance compared to the overall average, this remains the second most influential factor in an engineering professional’s decision to stay or accept a new role.

Career progression was the third most influential factor, with a marginally higher weighting than the average. It is also more crucial in the decision to stay in a current job than to accept a new role, so engineering employers should be more open and clear in communicating the training and development opportunities they extend to current and prospective employees.

Benefits are of marginally greater importance to the career decisions of engineering professionals than the overall average, but are less important in the decision to stay than when considering a new role. Employers can take advantage of this by ensuring they promote their full benefits package.

47.0%

21.1%

19.2%

12.7%

46.9%

21.9%

18.0%

13.2%

STAY ACCEPT


Pay

Culture

Progression

Benefits


Engineering Overall Key indicators

Top tip

Invest in and actively promote the training you offer to employees. In particular, offer training towards professional qualifications from chartered institutes such as IMechE to set your organisation apart from competitors.

Insights

LoyaltyOver a quarter of these professionals expect to work for fewer than five employers in their career

PayEngineering professionals attribute the same importance to pay as the overall average

DevelopmentMore of these professionals would turn down a job which didn’t offer any training or development

Cultural fitOver two-fifths of engineering professionals would take a pay cut for a better cultural fit

Work-life balance Work-life balance is not as highly rated as the overall average

Ambition Engineering professionals are slightly more ambitious than the overall average

66% 29%

62% 49%

80% 47%

66% 28%

62% 39%

78% 51%

Third party

On-the-job

In-house

Mentoring



4274

62

4455

2444

54

Top three aspects which are important when promoted, aside from salary and benefits

Engineering Overall



38%

26%

40%

28%Move up a level in the organisation

22%21%


HR professionals want options. From flexible working to mentoring, HR professionals’ career-related decisions are influenced by factors that are tailored to them as an individual.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Prioritising benefits According to the survey findings, HR professionals are more likely to be influenced by benefits when making career-related decisions than the overall average. In particular, the benefits HR professionals care most about are flexible working and training opportunities.

53% always consider flexible working policies when assessing a potential new employer, 6% higher than the overall average. Similarly, they are more likely to consider flexible working as important in both their current and future organisation than the overall average: 86% consider it important in their current organisation compared to the average of 78%, and 93% consider it important when considering moving to a new organisation compared to the 86% average.

On par with flexible working, 53% of HR professionals always consider training policies when assessing a potential new employer. Notably, mentoring is more desirable than in-house training. 62% want to receive this, but only 28% state they currently do.

This desire for training is perhaps understandable, given that many HR professionals are more likely to be aware of the training options available in their organisations. They will also be more aware of the impact that effective training can have on an individual’s career progression. As such, employers should review what training they offer that is relevant specifically to their HR staff.

This appetite for better training options is also likely to be driven by the ambition of HR professionals. 83% stated they are ambitious, higher than the overall average of 78%, and nearly half (49%) want to reach senior management levels in their career. Furthermore, 42% of active HR jobseekers hope a new job will bring them a more challenging role, above the average of 35%.

Based on these findings, it appears that HR professionals want access to options that are tailored specifically to them. From mentoring to flexible working, those employers who seek to understand what their HR staff want and reinforce what is currently available to them will be well placed to retain these professionals in the long-term.

Career decision influencers The order of factors that influence an HR professional’s decision to stay in their current organisation or accept a new job is the same as the overall average. However, there are notable differences between the extent of their influence compared to the average.

Pay is the most important factor for HR professionals. Nevertheless, it is less important to their career-related decisions than it is to the average professional by approximately 4%. Therefore, when considering how to retain valued HR talent, employers should note that these professionals are more likely than their peers to be influenced by factors outside of pay.

In particular, the culture of an organisation influences over a quarter of an HR professional’s career decisions, higher than the overall average. This should come as no surprise because HR professionals understand the impact it can have on employee job satisfaction and an individual’s career success.

HR professionals are more likely to assess a potential employer’s benefits offering when considering whether to accept a new job than any other profession explored in this report. Benefits are more important to HR professionals than the overall average by approximately 2%. Most HR professionals have a comprehensive understanding of rewards and benefits, and are clearly interested in what an employer is offering.

40.0%

26.3%

20.7%

13.0%

41.1%

25.7%

18.5%

14.7%

STAY ACCEPT


Pay

Culture

Progression

Benefits


Human Resources Overall Key indicators

Current

Future

Is flexible working important to you? (%)

Yes, very important Yes, quite important No, not important

Top tip

Talk to your HR staff more regularly about their careers. Look to offer formal training opportunities and mentorships specifically for your HR team, in addition to what is already offered by your organisation.

Insights

LoyaltyFewer HR professionals expect to work for less than five employers in their career

PayOver two-thirds of HR professionals would move jobs for a higher salary

DevelopmentIn line with the average, almost two-fifths would turn down a job that offered no training

Cultural fitMore HR professionals would take a pay cut for a better cultural fit

Work-life balance HR professionals consider their work-life balance to be better than the overall average

Ambition Career progression is important, with higher than average saying they are ambitious

68% 19%

65% 39%

83% 61%

66% 28%

62% 39%

78% 51%

4878

68

4254

2862

55

Third party

On-the-job

In-house

Mentoring



42% of HR professionals hope a new job will bring them a more challenging role

54 32 14

60 33 7


IT professionals are keen to explore new challenges and they want to work with the latest technology to ensure their technical skills remain up-to-date. Many are also looking to reach leadership positions for which they also need to hone their soft skills.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Desire to upskill driven by unique personal ambitionsBy its very nature, the landscape in which IT professionals operate is ever-evolving. New skills are required in order to keep up with the rapidly changing trends of the industry, and working with the latest technology is vital for IT professionals to maintain and grow these. Their eagerness to avoid working with legacy technology is evidenced by the fact that 40% of IT professionals hope for a more challenging role in their next job, compared to the overall average of 35%.

As part of this drive to stay challenged, IT employers should offer progressive training opportunities that will allow their staff to maintain their technical skillsets. There is currently a mismatch between what training support IT professionals want, and what they receive. For example, 80% of IT professionals would like to receive third party training, but only 45% say they currently receive this.

This is unsurprising as many IT professionals, such as developers, are at least partially self-taught, often via the internet. As such, they recognise that continual learning is important in order to stay abreast of the latest technological changes. IT professionals will appreciate the opportunity to take advantage of training which they would not have access to online, and stay engaged with their roles.

However, IT professionals are also looking for development opportunities typically associated with reaching leadership positions. 58% want access to mentoring, higher than the overall average of 47%, but only 29% say they receive this from their current employer.

Their desire for more mentoring may, at least in part, be due to their ambition. 83% stated they were ambitious, above the average of 78%. A quarter (25%) stated they wanted to reach C-suite level, such as Chief Information Officer (CIO). However, this is not the case for all IT professionals. For example, 19% of developers stated that seniority is not important to them, suggesting that for some working with the latest technology is a higher priority than linear career progression.

IT employers should understand the unique career goals of potential and current employees, and map appropriate routes to achieve these. For IT professionals who want to work in leadership positions, this may mean exposing them to cross-functional work in projects or change management in order to improve stakeholder engagement and delivery skills, as well as developing a better understanding of the broader organisation.

Career decision influencers For IT professionals, pay is the most influential factor when considering whether to stay in a current role and when looking for a new role. However, pay is slightly less influential for IT professionals than it is for the overall average when making these decisions.

Workplace culture is the second most influential factor for IT professionals. However, it is weighted as less important than it is to the overall average. Where pay and culture decrease in influence, the importance of career progression increases.

Career progression influences approximately 20% of an IT professional’s decision to stay in a current role or accept a new job, and is marginally more influential when deciding whether to stay. Whilst benefits are the least influential factor, they are considered slightly more important to IT professionals than the overall average.

Pay is less of a driving force for IT professionals than other professions. For example, it influences approximately 46% of an accountancy and finance professional’s career-related decisions, but only 43% of an IT professional’s. This demonstrates how employers should take a tailored approach when considering how best to attract and retain talent from different professions.

42.7%

23.0%

21.6%

12.7%

43.1%

24.3%

19.0%

13.6%

STAY ACCEPT


NOTE: Data from permanent IT professionals only

Pay

Culture

Progression

Benefits


IT Overall Key indicators

Top tip

Third party or ‘lower cost’ on-the-job training will ensure professionals maintain their technical edge and stay engaged. Employers can also help ambitious staff achieve leadership positions by challenging them with cross-functional projects and offering mentorships.

Insights

LoyaltyFewer of these professionals expect to work for less than five organisations in their career

PayTwo-thirds of IT professionals are hoping for better pay with a new role

DevelopmentOver a third of IT professionals would turn down a job that didn’t offer any training

Cultural fitMost of these professionals would take a pay cut for a better cultural fit

Work-life balance Over half consider their work-life balance as better than the average

Ambition More IT professionals consider themselves ambitious than the average

66% 20%

59% 43%

83% 53%

66% 28%

62% 39%

78% 51%

Third party

On-the-job

In-house

Mentoring


80

58

58

68

45

42

29

53



IT Overall

C-Suite

25%21%

SeniorManagement

33%38%Middle

Management

10%14%


Insurance professionals are exceptionally ambitious. To manage this desire to progress, employers must offer training and development options which provide practical tools for advancement.

INSURANCE

Driven by ambitionPerhaps unsurprisingly for a group which places a high emphasis upon career progression when making career-related decisions, 87% of insurance professionals stated they are ambitious, well above the overall average of 78%.

It is this ambition which is likely behind their desire to take advantage of more learning opportunities. 51% of insurance professionals always consider training and development policies when assessing a new job, above the average of 49%. In fact, 53% would turn down a job if it didn’t offer any training opportunities, significantly above the average of 39%.

Yet there is a mismatch between the training opportunities these workers receive from their current employers and what they want. For example, 51% of insurance professionals want mentoring from a prospective employer, but only 22% state they are offered it by their current employer.

Furthermore, three-quarters of insurance professionals (75%) want on-the-job training. This is desired above all other types of learning opportunities, notably different from the overall average where access to third party training is most preferred.

Organisations should prioritise training and mentoring options that offer specific ways to help ambitious insurance professionals progress to senior roles. Such opportunities will allow organistions to attract and retain insurance talent in an increasingly skills-short recruitment market.

Specifically, 44% of insurance professionals hope to reach senior management in their career, higher than the overall average of 38%. However, only 18% want to reach the C-suite level, compared to the average of 21%.

Insurance employers should be sure to clearly communicate to their employees the full range of long-term opportunities open to them, including leadership positions, and specify how they can achieve these.

Career decision influencers Insurance professionals rank pay, culture, career progression and benefits in the same order of importance as the overall findings. Pay is the most important factor influencing an insurance professional’s career-related decisions, followed by culture, career progression and benefits.

However, as we have found in the overall average, consideration of factors other than salary make up more than half (55%) of an insurance professional’s decision as to whether to accept a job or stay in a role.

Company culture and career progression were both of equal influence (21%) to an insurance professional’s career-related decisions. However, culture was less influential to insurance professionals than the overall average by 4%. By contrast, career progression was more influential by 3%.

46% of insurance workers are dissatisfied or indifferent to their role, which is a higher proportion than the overall average of 36%. This has contributed to the statistic that 45% of insurance workers are actively looking for a new job. As such, talent retention through careful consideration of employee needs should be a priority for insurance employers.

45.6%

20.8%

20.4%

13.2%

44.8%

21.6%

21.3%

12.3%

STAY ACCEPT


Pay

Culture

Progression

Benefits


Insurance Overall Key indicators

Top tip

Employers who offer development opportunities such as on-the-job learning, offering courses in conjunction with the CII or enacting a formal mentoring programme will provide ambitious insurance talent the tools needed to progress to leadership roles.

Insights

LoyaltyA third of these professionals expect to work for fewer than five employers in their career

PayInsurance professionals place greater importance on pay than the average

DevelopmentMore would turn down a job if it offered no training or development opportunities

Cultural fitMore of these professionals would take a pay cut for a job which is a better cultural fit

Work-life balanceInsurance professionals largely consider their work-life balance to be good or excellent

AmbitionA higher proportion of insurance professionals consider themselves to be ambitious

75%66% 33%

28%

66%62% 53%

39%

87%78% 57%

51%

On-the-job

Third party

In-house

Mentoring



6275

71

4163

22

49

51


Insurance Overall

C-Suite

SeniorManagement

MiddleManagement

18%

44%

11%

21%

38%

14%


Legal professionals are ambitious, wanting long-term career progression and tailored personal and professional development opportunities, such as mentoring. Working in a culture which suits them is also an important consideration.

LEGAL

Looking for well-defined professional development Many legal professionals are used to following well-defined career paths, often linked to the number of years of post-qualified experience. Career opportunities are often shaped by their areas of chosen expertise, the commercial demands of the clients they advise and the relationships they have with them.

Against this backdrop, it is perhaps not surprising that legal professionals are focused on their professional and personal development. 54% of legal professionals would decline a job offer if the employer could not offer any training and development opportunities, well above the overall average of 39%. Most employers are responding to this already, evidenced by the fact that legal professionals are more likely to have access to training than the overall average. For example, 53% of legal professionals stated they had access to in-house training, 10% higher than the overall average.

Looking at this more closely, however, we see that the nature of training and development is not always what legal professionals feel they want and need. Significantly higher numbers of legal professionals want mentoring and third party training than they currently have access to. They rate mentoring highly, with 51% looking for this in a

new employer. It is likely that mentoring is seen as an effective way to develop the range of skills essential in building and securing client relationships and confidence.

Linked to the well-defined career options and structure of the profession, legal professionals are looking for opportunities with long-term growth potential. 48% state that they are seeking long-term opportunities from their next employer, higher than the average of 39%, and second only to the drive to achieve a higher salary.

As a result, legal professionals are also more ambitious than the overall average (81% compared to 78%). One-fifth expect to be promoted within six months to a year of being in a role and only a third (33%) would be prepared to wait more than two years, which is much lower than the 42% average. In addition, 28% have their sights set on partner and board-level roles compared to the average of 21%.

The career path for many legal professionals is very structured, with information linking to PQE, and to an extent salary ranges and earnings, readily available. It is therefore important that employers emphasise well-defined career paths linked to clear performance criteria to support the ambitions of these professionals to help advance their careers.

Career decision influencers When considering whether to stay in a job or move to a new position, legal professionals view pay as the single most important factor in their decision. More weight is given to pay than the overall average (47% compared to 45%). Employers should therefore benchmark salaries, and be transparent when communicating earning potential to both existing and prospective employees.

However, as with the overall findings of this report, other factors heavily influence career-related decisions. Organisational culture is the second most important factor in the decision for legal professionals to stay or change role, with 66% reporting that they would take a pay cut for a better cultural fit.

An organisation’s benefits offering is the least influential factor in a legal professional’s decision-making process. However, it can still act as a key differentiator as part of the overall package, and could tip the balance if a talented professional has to decide between two equivalent, well-paid roles offering similar opportunities for progression.

47.2%

21.5%

19.6%

11.7%

46.3%

22.4%

19.0%

12.3%

STAY ACCEPT


Pay

Culture

Progression

Benefits


Legal Overall Key indicators

Top tip

Additional continuing professional development (CPD) training opportunities beyond the mandatory requirements, such as formal mentorships and regular career reviews, will help legal professionals develop the skills essential to building client relationships and furthering their careers.

Insights

LoyaltyOver a quarter expect to work for fewer than five employers in their career

PayLegal professionals attribute greater importance to pay when accepting a new role than the average

DevelopmentMore than the overall average would turn down a job if it offered no training or development

Cultural fitTwo-thirds would take a pay cut for a job which is a better cultural fit

Work-life balance Over half of legal professionals consider their work-life balance good or excellent

Ambition More legal professionals consider themselves ambitious than the average

72% 27%

66% 54%

81% 55%

66% 28%

62% 39%

78% 51%

In-house

Mentoring



Third party 4272

5360

2251

On-the-job 6357

What do you hope a new job will offer?

Legal Overall

Higher salary

Longer-term opportunities

70%

48%

60%

39%


Science and research professionals are ambitious, keen to progress to high levels of seniority and eager to benefit from additional training and development. Employers should look to establish clear avenues for career progression.

LIFE SCIENCES

Clarify pathways to leadership positions Science and research professionals consider career progression to be of greater importance than the overall average. In light of this, it is unsurprising that these professionals are also more ambitious. 82% stated they were ambitious, compared to the average of 78%.

When asked what level of seniority they hope to reach in their career, a quarter stated they want to reach C-suite level, higher than the overall average of 21%. Furthermore, 22% believe moving up a level in their organisation is the most important aspect of a promotion. Employers should therefore be sure to demonstrate a clear path for progression to potential candidates at interview, as well as at planned, regular intervals throughout an employee’s career.

The expectation of promotion further demonstrates the ambition of science and research professionals, the majority (63%) of whom expect promotion within their first two years of employment in a new role. Likewise, a particularly ambitious 19% expect to advance within the very first year at an organisation.

Training is a major component of an employee’s efforts to progress their career. While employers seem to be meeting the demand for on-the-job training, they fall short in regards to external training from third party providers, which 70% of employees would like, but only 43% of employers currently offer.

When looking for a new role, 56% of science and research professionals always consider the continuing professional development (CPD) and training opportunities available, notably higher than the overall average of 49%. In fact, half of those surveyed would turn down a role that failed to offer any training or development opportunities, considerably higher than the average of 39%.

It is clear that a well-rounded package, including additional training options and a clear career path is essential to a successful attraction and retention strategy in a market short of skills.

Career decision influencers Science and research professionals rank pay as the single most important factor influencing their career-related decisions, followed by culture, career progression and benefits.

When comparing the influence that these factors have on the decision to accept a new job versus stay in their current role, there are only marginal differences. Culture and career progression are slightly more important for retaining staff, with salary and benefits having a little more influence in the decision to accept a new role. Flexible working in particular is important, as 66% (compared to the overall average of 47%) always consider it when assessing a new role.

Career progression receives greater consideration at over 20%, both when considering staying in a role and accepting a new position. In each case this is slightly greater than the overall average, weighted at around 18%.

While still the most influential factor, pay is less of an influence for science and research professionals (40%) than it is to the overall average (45%). In line with the overall theme, it is the total package of pay, benefits, career progression and culture which is important, as no one overarching factor dominates the decision to stay or move job.

40.0%

24.4%

23.8%

11.8%

42.3%

22.9%

21.8%

13.0%

STAY ACCEPT


Pay

Culture

Progression

Benefits



Life Sciences Overall Key indicators

Top tip

Employers need to understand the long-term goals of science and research professionals, and support them by offering the training and development they prefer while also establishing clear career paths.

Insights

LoyaltyOver a quarter expect to work for fewer than five employers in their career

PayScience and research professionals put less importance on pay than the average

DevelopmentMore would turn down a job that offered no training or development opportunities

Cultural fitMany of these professionals would take a pay cut for a better cultural fit

Work-life balance They consider their work-life balance as better than the average

Ambition More of these professionals consider themselves to be ambitious than the average

63% 27%

63% 50%

82% 55%

66% 28%

62% 39%

78% 51%


Life Sciences Overall

C-Suite

MiddleManagement

SeniorManagement

25%

13%

38%

21%

14%

38%

66%of science and research professionals always consider flexible working policies when assessing a new role

In-house

Mentoring


Third party 4370

5256

3350

On-the-job 7875


Marketing professionals are ambitious and driven to progress to reach the top jobs, valuing recognition of their achievements along the way. Clear career plans and a workplace culture best suited to maximise this potential are a must.

MARKETING

Want a culture that celebrates successCareer progression is very important to marketing professionals, influencing around 20% of career-related decisions. 87% consider themselves ambitious, nearly 10% greater than the overall average, and almost a quarter (24%) expect to be promoted within one year in a new role. It is therefore unsurprising that 29% hope to reach Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), higher than the average of 21%.

Aside from better pay and benefits, 36% of marketers value the recognition and respect that a promotion brings, followed by 26% saying moving up a level in the organisation is most important, higher than the average of 21%. In addition, almost a fifth (19%) place highest value on the training and development opportunities that come with a promotion, making both linear and lateral progression a vital part of career development for marketing professionals.

In line with this, marketers want support with their career development. 37% say they receive support towards third party training from their current employer, such as that provided by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). But far more, over three-quarters (78%), say they would like to receive this from a future employer. There is also high demand for on-the-job training (desired by 64% of professionals from a future employer) and mentoring (desired by 57%).

Culture is another factor especially important to marketers, influencing over a quarter of career-related decisions. In addition, almost three-quarters (71%) would take a pay cut for a better workplace culture, far higher than the average of 62%.

Given the importance marketers place on receiving recognition for their achievements, along with the focus on workplace culture, building a collaborative environment that celebrates employee successes is a strong way for employers to maintain a motivated and engaged marketing team.

Career decision influencers In line with the overall average, pay is the most influential factor for marketing professionals when considering whether to stay in their current role or accept a new one. However, this is to a lesser extent than the average by nearly 4% when accepting a role, and just over 5% when it comes to staying in a current job, which is the lowest weighting given to pay of all the professions included in this report.

Marketing professionals instead place a higher than average focus on workplace culture, which makes up over a quarter of the decision when considering staying in a current role or accepting a new one. It could therefore be a key differentiator for employers in attracting and retaining talented individuals.

Marketing professionals also place higher value on career progression than the overall average, by over 4% in the case of staying in a current role. Career progression also has a nearly 4% higher weighting in the decision to stay in a role than accept a new one, making it more important when it comes to employee retention than attraction. This is also one of the highest weightings given to career progression when compared to the other professions. With high importance placed on this factor, clear career progression plans are key to retaining top marketing talent.

39.4%

25.8%

23.5%

11.3%

41.8%

26.5%

19.9%

11.8%

STAY ACCEPT


Pay

Culture

Progression

Benefits


Marketing Overall Key indicators

Top tip

Marketing professionals are ambitious, aiming high in their careers. Set clear career progression plans with your team, whilst also recognising and rewarding accomplishments to keep top talent engaged with your organisation.

Insights

LoyaltyVery few of these professionals expect to work for fewer than five organisations

PayThree-quarters of marketing professionals are hoping for better pay with a new role

DevelopmentOver a third of professionals would turn down a job if training was not offered

Cultural fitA higher than average proportion would take a pay cut for a better workplace culture

Work-life balance Work-life balance is considered to be more positive than the overall average

Ambition Marketing professionals consider themselves to be more ambitious than the overall average

75% 12%

71% 37%

87% 54%

66% 28%

62% 39%

78% 51%


Marketing Overall

C-Suite SeniorManagement

MiddleManagement

29% 44% 7%21% 38% 14%

Marketing professionals

Overall average

Would you be prepared to take a pay cut for a better workplace culture (%)

Yes, above 20% Yes, 15%–20% Yes, 10%–15% Yes, 5%–10% Yes, below 5% No

52

6 19 33 38

25 36 29

2

3

2

78%of marketing professionals would like to receive support towards third party training


Office support workers enjoy a good work-life balance and are motivated to maintain this. A culture that positively promotes this balance is therefore essential and is second only to pay in attracting and retaining top professionals.

OFFICE SUPPORT

Maintaining a positive work-life balanceOver half of office support professionals (55%) are actively seeking a new role (higher than the 48% average). 42% say they are dissatisfied or indifferent to their current role (higher than the 36% average), which may be linked to the fact that many have taken on a broader range of responsibilities in recent years (as outlined in our 2015 report What Makes a Successful PA?). Whilst pay is a focus for these professionals, employers also need to consider other ways to help these employees feel appreciated and supported in order to attract and retain staff.

Over two-thirds (69%) of office support professionals say they are ambitious, but this is lower than the overall average (78%). When asked what job level they wanted to reach in their career, one-fifth said that seniority is not important and only 20% say that moving up a level in the organisation is the most important aspect of being promoted.

Interestingly, the most important aspect of promotion to these professionals is recognition and respect (42% compared to the 40% average). Therefore, it is also important for employers to ensure that these employees feel valued by regularly rewarding success.

In addition to recognition for achievements, work-life balance is important to these professionals as over a third (34%) seek this in a new role. 67% would be attracted to work for an organisation that restricts ‘out of hours’ working, on a par with the overall average. However, this figure is higher for contact centre staff at 73%.

Promisingly, over half (55%) of office support professionals say they have a good or excellent work-life balance, above the 51% average. However, customer services professionals were slightly below average at 50% (explaining why they are more likely to be attracted by restricted ‘out of hours’ working). The main benefits of a positive work-life balance according to employees are less stress (47%), more time with family and friends (21%) and being more productive at work (16%).

Given that office support professionals place less emphasis on career progression and training, it is crucial to find alternative ways to reward and recognise success. In addition, helping professionals maintain a positive work-life balance is essential to retaining top office support professionals and will ensure they remain productive and engaged at work.

Career decision influencers Office support professionals rank the factors that influence their career decisions in the same order of importance as the overall average. Pay is the single most important factor followed by culture, career progression and benefits.

Pay is a greater focus for these professionals than the overall average by over 2% in the decision to stay or move role. Salary benchmarking and offering competitive pay is therefore important for those looking to hire. However, given that pay makes up less than half of the decision to move role and budgets may be limited, organisations need to support this by offering the total package.

Culture makes up over 22% of the decision, followed by career progression influencing nearly 18% of the decision to stay; lower than the overall average (19%) and the second lowest of all professions covered in this report. Opportunities for progression in office support may be limited, meaning culture, pay and benefits are even more important.

47.5%

22.2%

17.8%

12.5%

47.8%

22.2%

17.0%

13.0%

STAY ACCEPT


Pay

Culture

Progression

Benefits


Offi ce Support Overall Key indicators

Top tip

Nurture a culture of recognition and respect by encouraging managers to give praise and reward achievement. Where career progression is limited, ensuring employees feel valued and are able to maintain a positive work-life balance is essential to attracting and retaining the best.

Insights

LoyaltyNearly three-tenths expect to work for fewer than five employers during their career

PayOffice support professionals place greater importance on increasing pay with a new role

DevelopmentAlmost a third would turn down a job if it didn’t offer training and development

Cultural fitAlmost two-thirds would take a pay cut for a job that offered a better cultural fit

Work-life balance Office support professionals are more likely to rate their work-life balance as good or excellent

Ambition Two-thirds consider themselves to be ambitious, driving a desire for more training support

70% 29%

62% 30%

69% 55%

66% 28%

62% 39%

78% 51%

Most important things when being promoted outside of salary (%)

Offi ce Support Overall



42% 29%40% 28%

Move up a level in the organisation

20%21%

67%would be attracted to work for an organisation that restricts ‘out of hours’ working

Office administrators

Contact centre professionals

PA and secretarial professionals

How do you rate your work-life balance? (%)

Excellent Good Average Poor Terrible

12 50 28 28

15 41 34 28

16 35 33 511


A clear career path is important to procurement professionals, with training a desired component. Employers need to better promote training opportunities to support development, retain staff and help address skills shortages.

PROCUREMENT, MANUFACTURING & LOGISTICS

Prioritise training as part of developmentThe majority (82%) of procurement professionals consider themselves ambitious, more so than the overall average (78%). As a result of this ambition, 46% aspire to reach senior management, higher than the average of 38%, and a further 19% hope to reach C-suite level, such as Chief Procurement Offi cer (CPO).

However, when it comes to career progression, there appears to be a mismatch in communication between employers and employees. 83% of employers say they discuss career progression opportunities with candidates at interview stage, but only just over two-fi fths (44%) of professionals recall this.

Provision of training is important to enable career progression and upskill procurement functions. 84% of employees say they consider continuing professional development (CPD) and training policies when assessing a potential new employer. Just over a third (35%) of employees say they receive support for third party training towards professional qualifi cations, such as those provided by the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS). However, twice this number (70%) would like to see this from a future employer. Other forms of development such as mentoring are highly valued too, currently received by 27% of employees, but desired by 56% from a future employer.

In comparison, a high number of employers say they off er support for third party training and mentoring (72% and 67% respectively). The diff erence between the training employees say they currently receive versus the training that employers say is on off er indicates a miscommunication between the two. Therefore, employers may already hold the answer to what their procurement staff are looking for, should they be able to address these communication challenges.

Further to this, 43% of professionals expect a promotion within one to two years of being in a new role, yet over half of employers (52%) plan to promote an employee within the same timeframe. This is good news for ambitious procurement professionals, but they seem unaware of their employers potential succession plans as 40% of professionals say they hope for longer-term opportunities in a new job.

There is an opportunity for better communication to support professionals’ appetite for development and avoid losing talented employees. Fully briefi ng recruitment agencies or internal hiring teams on the training options on off er, and ensuring these are discussed at interview stage, will help prospective employees understand the available opportunities from the outset. This will ensure organisations are better able to attract, retain and develop the skills they need.

Career decision influencersProcurement, manufacturing and logistics professionals rank pay as the most important factor influencing the decision to stay or move role, followed by culture, career progression and benefits. Pay carried slightly more weight when deciding to accept a new role over the decision to stay in a current job. However, as highlighted throughout this report, a combination of other factors, outside of pay, collectively have greater influence on career-related decisions.

Workplace culture is the second highest factor after pay, influencing over 22% of career-related decisions. This shows the influence of factors such as work-life balance and reward and recognition on the decision to move role in procurement, as discussed below.

Career progression follows culture and is more influential in the decision to stay in a role than it is when accepting a new job. As we discuss below, miscommunication on training and development opportunities available could be impacting the ability to retain skilled professionals in procurement functions.

Finally, benefits are a key element that procurement professionals consider, influencing around 13% of the decision to move jobs and even higher in the decision to stay. In both cases, benefits are also more important to procurement, manufacturing and logistics professionals than the overall average.

44.9%

22.3%

19.4%

13.4%

46.4%

22.8%

17.8%

13.0%

STAY ACCEPT


Pay

Culture

Progression

Benefits


Procurement Overall Key indicators

Top tip

Employers who effectively communicate career progression opportunities will attract and retain ambitious procurement professionals. Promoting the full range of training options, particularly third party training such as that offered by CIPS, is an essential part of this and will also help overcome skills shortages.

Insights

LoyaltyOver a quarter of these professionals expect to work for fewer than five employers

PayA high proportion of procurement professionals are hoping for better pay

DevelopmentNearly two-fifths would decline a job if training or development was not offered

Cultural fitNearly two-thirds of these professionals would take a pay cut for a better workplace culture

Work-life balance Work-life balance is rated more highly by procurement professionals than the overall average

Ambition Procurement professionals consider themselves to be more ambitious than average

68% 27%

64% 38%

82% 54%

66% 28%

62% 39%

78% 51%


Procurement Overall

C-Suite

19%21%

SeniorManagement

46%38%Middle

Management

17%14%

Third party

On-the-job

In-house

Mentoring



3570

69

4654

27

55

56


53%

40%

71% 48%

55%

45%

50%

87%

28%51% 53%

82%

of construction and property professionals consider themselves

to be ambitious

of insurance employees would decline a job offer if it didn’t offer any professional

development or training

of marketing professionals would take a pay cut for a better

workplace culture

of legal professionals are seeking long-term

opportunities from their next employer

of engineering professionals always consider an

organisation’s training policies when evaluating

a new employer

of accountancy and finance professionals aspire

to reach C-suite level

of HR professionals always consider flexible working policies when assessing

a potential new employer

of those working in education expect to work for fewer than

five employers during their career

of procurement employees consider

themselves to be ambitious

of science and research professionals would turn down a role that failed to offer any training or

development opportunities

of permanent IT professionals hope for

a more challenging role in their next job

of professionals working in office support roles

are actively looking for a new job

SECTOR SUMMARYWHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT IN YOUR PROFESSION?

21%

47% 28%49%

78%

78%39% 35%

48%

39% 62% 39%

Sector specifi c Overall

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