One in four UK employees say they are preparing to walk away from their jobs in the next 12 months because they feel underpaid, unseen and stuck.
A poll of 2,000 UK employees by HR and payroll software provider Ciphr found that nearly a quarter (24%) are actively job hunting or planning to change employers this year. Beneath that headline figure lies a generational divide, and a warning to bosses who may believe loyalty still comes as standard.
Nearly a third (32%) of workers under 34 say they are looking, or will look, for a new role. Among 35- to 44-year-olds, the figure is 30%. By contrast, only around a fifth (22%) of 45- to 55-year-olds say the same, falling to 14% among those aged 55 to 64 and just 7% of over-65s.
FAIR PAY MATTERS
For many, the push factor is painfully simple: pay. More than a third (36%) of those considering a move say they feel underpaid. Women are slightly more likely to cite low wages as a motivator than men (37% compared with 34%). In an economy where household budgets remain tight, the message is blunt: if pay does not keep pace with expectations, staff will look elsewhere.
But salary is only part of the story. A further 24% say it is “just time to move on” – a phrase that may sound neutral, but rarely is. Fully 90% of respondents who selected this option also listed multiple other reasons for wanting or needing to change roles.
RECOGNITION & CAREER PROGRESSION
Recognition – or the lack of it – looms large. The same proportion (24%) say they want to leave because they feel undervalued. Again, women report this more often: 28% of female respondents cite feeling undervalued, compared with 17% of men.
Career progression is another fault line. Nearly a quarter (24%) of women, compared with 18% of men, say they must seek employment elsewhere to access the career growth, promotion opportunities or management responsibilities their current employer cannot offer.
The rest of the top 15 reasons paint a portrait of quiet disengagement. Almost a quarter (23%) want a more rewarding and fulfilling job. Twenty-two per cent say they simply do not enjoy their work. Seventeen per cent feel bored or unengaged; the same proportion want a better work–life balance. Sixteen per cent are seeking a less stressful job or more manageable workload, and 16% blame poor leadership or ineffective management.
TRAINING & JOB SECURITY
Around one in seven (15%) want to gain new knowledge and skills, and the same number want to work from home more often. Fourteen per cent want to change careers altogether; 14% say they do not like their manager; and 13% are looking for greater job security.
Claire Hawes, Chief People and Operations Officer at Ciphr, says employers should not dismiss these findings as routine churn. “These findings should be a wake-up call for employers. Around a third of workers under 45 want to switch jobs, with many saying they’re feeling underpaid and undervalued. That’s highlighting problems that are very fixable. People aren’t leaving because they hate the work… they’re leaving because they don’t feel recognised or seen.”
PAY AUDITS
Yet Hawes cautions against quick fixes. These things can’t be fixed overnight, however, and need a deliberate and sustained effort to improve over time. Employers would benefit from identifying the two or three things they can do in the next year and creating tangible plans that they can communicate to their workforce about how they plan to change and improve their pay and recognition models. For example, audit your pay. You don’t need to match market rate overnight, but you should understand where the gaps (and risks) are, and be honest with your people about your pay strategy and plans.
“Think about how you can better build recognition into the rhythm of your business – not as a one-off initiative, but as a management culture,” explains Hawes. “Recognition is all about acknowledging someone’s contributions and giving credit. People want to know that their employer appreciates and values them. It doesn’t always need to be big financial gestures. Internal shout-outs, an early Friday finish, or a coffee voucher, can have a big impact. Aim for frequent, consistent and genuine recognition.”
CAREER CONVERSATIONS
Finally, ensure there’s space for career conversations, adds Hawes. “One in five people who are planning to leave are doing so because they can’t see a future career path. Work with them to ensure they are being heard, and that they understand what career options they have inside your organisation. Retention is rooted in getting the basics right: fair pay, genuine recognition, and a credible career and growth story that employees can buy into.”
The exodus may not be evenly spread. Workers in hospitality and events management appear especially restless, with nearly two-fifths (39%) planning to move jobs. Around a third (34%) of those in sales, marketing, advertising and PR are also likely to be job hunting.
In the charity and not-for-profit sector, 30% say they intend to leave; in social care, the figure is 29%. Among those working in business and management consulting, including HR and recruitment, one in four (25%) are planning to move on.
Taken together, the data suggests a labour market defined less by dramatic walkouts than by a steady erosion of attachment. Employees are not necessarily storming out in anger. Many are simply drifting towards better pay, clearer progression and the basic human need to feel valued.
RETENTION MATTERS
In a labour market where 24% of employees say they are planning to move jobs this year, retention is no longer a “nice to have”. Losing high performers is expensive, disruptive and demoralising. It drains institutional knowledge, unsettles teams and hands competitive advantage to rivals.
Top performers are rarely the loudest about their dissatisfaction – but they are often the most mobile. When they leave, they tend to do so decisively. Losing top performers is costly and destabilising. Beyond recruitment fees and onboarding time, organisations lose expertise, institutional knowledge and trusted relationships that cannot be quickly replaced. High performers often carry disproportionate value, meaning their departure hits harder than headcount alone suggests.
Their exit can also unsettle teams, prompting others to reassess their own future and increasing the risk of further turnover. At the same time, competitors may gain the very talent – and insight – you have lost. Over time, repeated departures weaken succession plans and leadership pipelines, forcing employers into expensive external hiring cycles. In short, retention is not just an HR issue; it is a strategic imperative.
RETAINING TOP PERFORMERS
Here are a few tips on how employers can retain their top performers.
1. Audit and address pay gaps
- Benchmark roles against market rates.
- Identify compression issues (where newer hires earn similar to long-serving staff).
- Be transparent about pay philosophy and timelines for improvement.
Even where immediate increases aren’t possible, honesty builds trust.
2. Make recognition habitual, not occasional
- Train managers to give specific, timely praise.
- Build recognition into team rituals (weekly wins, peer shout-outs).
- Offer small but meaningful rewards – flexibility, development budgets, visible appreciation.
Recognition should be frequent, consistent and genuine.
3. Create visible career pathways
- Map out progression routes clearly.
- Hold structured career conversations at least twice a year.
- Offer stretch assignments and cross-functional exposure.
Top performers leave when they can’t see their next step.
4. Invest in development
- Fund professional qualifications and certifications.
- Provide mentoring and coaching.
- Encourage skill diversification, not just vertical promotion.
Growth signals belief in potential.
5. Strengthen line management
Poor management is a recurring driver of exits.
- Train managers in feedback, workload planning and inclusive leadership.
- Hold leaders accountable for engagement and retention metrics.
People often leave managers, not companies.
6. Protect wellbeing and workload
High performers are frequently overburdened.
- Monitor workload equity.
- Normalise boundaries and recovery time.
- Address burnout before it drives resignation.
7. Offer flexibility with intention
Hybrid and remote options remain powerful retention tools.
Where flexibility is possible, clarity and fairness in policy matter more than blanket mandates.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Retention is rooted in getting the basics right: fair pay, genuine recognition and credible growth opportunities. Top performers want to feel stretched, valued and rewarded – not taken for granted.
In a year when a quarter of employees are eyeing the exit, organisations that double down on retention won’t just reduce churn. They will quietly outpace competitors still scrambling to replace the talent they failed to keep.
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