Dive Brief:
- Even in today’s candidate market, most employees are, and want to be, loyal to their company, according to a survey of more than 2,000 employees by West Monroe Partners. Of those polled, 82% revealed they have a high sense of loyalty to their employer.
- While that may be good news for business, it may not be a sure thing. Details of the survey also revealed that 45% of new hires, those that have been with their employer for a year or less, have applied elsewhere after a bad day on the job. Another 59% said they’d be willing to leave their current job if a more appealing offer came their way, even though they aren’t actively looking for another job. A quarter of employees would require at least a 20% increase in salary to justify making a move, however.
- Only 12% of staffers admitted they were disloyal to their employer, but almost double, 21%, considered themselves dissatisfied. That may be good news for those looking to poach competitors' workers, and 60% of employees said they've received inbound interest from recruiters or other firms within the last six months, with 43% pursuing at least one.
Dive Insight:
Recruiters have their work cut out for them in today's applicant market. While some companies use external recruiters or even technology to lure working candidates, others are offering free training, hoping to create an inroad to a possible new hire down the line (as well as improve retention overall). The stakes are high for business; many industries predict that the inability to increase head count will negatively impact growth.
Even mild employee dissatisfaction can be a golden ticket for recruiters. But that means that employers are going to have to look inward, as well. A focus on employer brand and recruiting communication practices can go a long way toward successful hiring and onboarding — key in ensuring your recruiting efforts aren't wasted on employees who will head right back out the door.
