Sixty-nine per cent of Brits will look for a new job within the next two years, according to a new survey of 1,025 employees conducted by Bullhorn. Within this group of jobseekers, 45 per cent said they would seek new employment within the next year, 13 per cent want a new role within the next two years, and 11 per cent are already actively job hunting.
When asked which work perks are most essential when choosing a new job, those with direct financial benefits proved to be most popular, with 79 per cent citing the need for a pay increase and 37 per cent keen to receive a ‘signing bonus’. This was followed by the option to work completely remotely (35 per cent) or more flexibly (33 per cent).
The survey also indicates that despite ONS data showing record-breaking numbers of job vacancies, many candidates still struggle to connect with the right opportunities. Bullhorn’s survey reveals that just 19 per cent have found it easier to discover new, relevant jobs in the last 12 months, compared to 81 per cent who have found it either harder or the same as before the pandemic.
More than half (55 per cent) highlighted the impact of COVID-19 restrictions as a reason why it has been harder to find new work, while 35 per cent claimed there are fewer job opportunities in their specific industry or field, and 21 per cent said they feel less confident that they will secure a job they want.
“An interesting situation has emerged,” noted Andy Ingham, senior vice president, EMEA and APAC, Bullhorn. “Both job vacancies and the number of people actively seeking new employment are on the rise, but this doesn’t necessarily mean candidates are completely confident that they will find great job opportunities. Businesses should therefore be proactive in putting the right opportunities in front of the right candidates as quickly as possible. At the same time, they should place a strong emphasis on the perks that are most important to today’s workforce.
“We can also expect to see businesses, especially those with acute skills shortages, becoming increasingly reliant on recruitment experts who can help them source and place new talent at pace,” he said.
The survey, conducted in August 2021 by Bullhorn, shows that nearly half (45 per cent) of employees have had a career-related interaction with a recruiter this year, with a similar number (47 per cent) agreeing that working with a recruitment agency speeds up the process of finding quality job opportunities.
