Is job hopping no longer taboo?

Dive Brief:

Job hopping may be losing its status as a recruiting red flag, according to a new report from iHire. In surveying more than 1,000 active and passive job seekers, the group found that more than half had left their job voluntarily in the last five years. What's more, 75% said they planned to stay with their current employer no longer than five years and 31% planned to stay less than one year.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the respondents were neither highly engaged nor drastically disengaged; roughly 60% said they were either "somewhat satisfied" or "neither satisfied nor unsatisfied" with their current roles. When asked about the primary reason they would leave their job, the most common response was pay, followed by advancement opportunities. Many also cited toxic work environments and a poor work-life balance.
"Qualified talent has become difficult not only to recruit, but also to retain due to a job market with more open positions than people to fill them," Steve Flook, iHire president and CEO, said in a statement. "The possibility that a more rewarding career opportunity is out there is often too compelling for even the most tenured and loyal employee. That's why employers need to make the extra effort to keep their best talent engaged, nurture staff's professional and personal growth, and establish a workplace culture that cannot be found anywhere else."

Dive Insight:

As iHire noted, job hopping may no longer be taboo; in fact, in today's tight labor market, employers are reconsidering whether certain candidate attributes should really amount to red flags that disqualify applicants. Shorter resume date ranges are more acceptable, as are gaps and regressions, experts experts say; the same goes for certain social media activity and criminal histories.

On the other hand, this also means retention can be difficult. Holding on to top talent requires knowing why they leave in the first place. Lauren Mason, principal and strategic lead for Mercer's Global Rewards Practice, previously told HR Dive that top performers leave their jobs when employers don't provide experiences that motivate and engage them or aren't aligned with their personal and professional ambitions.

Boredom and a lack of recognition also can increase turnover. "Top performers are motivated by more than money, Eddie Yoon, founder of EddieWouldGrow, added. They also care about maximizing their talent and track record, he said.

Pay is important, as iHire noted, but it appears that salary alone won't retain employees. Learning and development offerings (with accompanying advancement opportunities) and a positive workplace culture will be necessary pieces to employers' retention plans.