6.5 million Brits actively looking to leave their jobs, research reveals

Around 6.5 million Brits who feel under-appreciated by their bosses are actively looking to leave their current jobs, up one million on 2023, according to the third annual Love2shop Employee Value Report.

The research found that 82% of UK workers who claimed to feel undervalued were already preparing to leave their current employers.

Love2shop asked whether rewards and recognition had a positive impact, and found that the cost of living remains a real concern.

Almost three-quarters (71%) stated that if they received a gift card or bonus from work they would spend it on the weekly shop, clothes or back-to-school essentials.

Lunchtime yoga, dogs in the office, pizza parties and work nights out were found to be ineffective in solving issues around employee appreciation and value. 

Instead, beyond a salary rise, staff wanted more flexible working (20%) and days off (20%), and gift cards or shopping vouchers (18%) to spend on essentials – unchanged from the last three years. 

Frank Creighton at Love2shop, said: “People are still struggling to get by, which distracts them from their work and adds stress to their lives.

“Yoga sessions and office dog days don’t solve that. Rewards that ease their spending worries do.

“Get that right and our data shows you will improve employee loyalty, work rate and happiness.”

The survey found that 74% of education workers and 71% of healthcare professionals were considering leaving their professions due to feeling undervalued.

In the private sector, 89% of finance workers and 85% of retail workers were seeking ways to leave.

This year, Northern Ireland was found to have the happiest workers in the UK, with Belfast as the happiest city.

While unhappiness grew in last year’s worst performing city, Liverpool, it was eclipsed by Plymouth, where more than a third (36%) felt under-appreciated at work.

Creighton added: “We have been doing the report for a number of years now and the data clearly shows that loyalty, productivity and happiness increase with employers who put the right reward strategies in place.

“Those businesses grow and thrive more readily than businesses that do not show employees they are valued.

“Employee expectations have changed. If businesses do not change with them, they may very soon find themselves falling behind.”