Recruitment market remains volatile: one in five look to leave job

The recruitment market remains hot despite the Covid-driven ‘Great Resignation’ having calmed, according to fresh research by the UK’s largest independent outsourcer, Kura.

As much as a fifth of employees surveyed were found to have desires to leave their job as 2023 approaches, with 65% putting work-life balance as high up their priority list. There have been a string of studies and articles documenting employee burnout since the peak of the pandemic, many of which point to employees not knowing when to switch off and overworking.

Since Covid the idea that working from home could become a permanent feature has held its ground, with most online employment giants now making this a filtered search option for those seeking work. Research has concluded that 20% of workers want fully remote-working opportunities, while a majority of workers (51%) are seeking hybrid-working roles.

The cost of living crisis is another factor to weigh heavy, forcing the hand of many lower wage workers to seek raises or move on. CyclingIndustry.News research on bike retail wages illustrates this point, with typical bike shop wages sharply below national averages.

At the start of 2022 (before inflation boarded a runaway train) representation in the lowest bracket of our study had 24% of mechanic staff being paid only between £16,000 to £18,000 annually. To round out the sub £20,000 wages, a further 18% said they earned between £18 and £20k. In 2022, a higher wedge of mechanics, 42%, earned sub £20,000 than previous pieces of research.

Meanwhile, CIPD Labour Market research found that nearly 50% of business are inclined to increase employee pay to help staff and combat the recruitment struggles that have made securing and keeping quality staff difficult.

Janine Hunt, Client Partnership Director at Kura comments, “Employees know what they want now more than ever, and it is important for the retention and employment of highly skilled individuals that they are offered good benefits. From advancement opportunities to hybrid working, the face of the job market has change dramatically in the last year, increasing employee demands.

“Employees benefit from good company culture and the encouragement for advancement within the company. These features can make your company more appealing to jobseekers. At Kura, we have invested over 750,000 hours into training, and we continue to do so for the benefit of our employees and clients alike. When your employees enjoy their work, they take pride in it.”

For those handling recruitment within the bike market, CyclingIndustry.News has a jobs board that is regularly updated with the latest vacancies. To place your role, contact us here.