What Employees Expect in 2021 | IBM Institute for Business Value

According to a recent study by the IBM Institute for Business Value, the pandemic continues to alter employees’ expectations of their employers. The study surveyed over 14,000 people across nine countries to better understand how employee perspectives shifted in 2020 and to explore their motivations and aspirations for 2021. One in five employees surveyed voluntarily switched employers in 2020—of which Gen Z (33%) and Millennials (25%) accounted for more than half of those who departed from their firms. Work location flexibility was the top reason people changed jobs (32%), followed by the desire to find more purposeful and meaningful work (27%). In looking to the rest of 2021, 1 in 4 employees plan to change jobs, and Gen Z and Millennials make up the most significant portion of this group. Adding to this retention risk is that 87 percent of this segment feel confident that they have the skills to land new roles. The report provides other insights on employee preferences, including that 51% of all surveyed workers cite work-life balance as the top priority for engaging the workforce. In case you missed it, here is a previously posted Accenture report that explores six dimensions that influence employee sentiment.