Number of Americans wanting to switch jobs hits 10-year high: Poll
FILE-Employees work at their desks in a cybersecurity firm. (Photo by Andreas Arnold/picture alliance via Getty Images)
A growing number of Americans are looking to switch jobs now than at any point in the past 10 years.
But many employees are facing obstacles when securing new jobs due to a cooling job market and the nation’s economy being impacted by inflation.
The scarcity of opportunities in the job market has many employees feeling stuck in their current roles and detached from the work they are doing, according to Gallup.
RELATED: Job trend 'resenteeism' has employees coasting through workdays, rather than quitting
Gallup released a new poll revealing that more than half of 20,000 employees surveyed said they are seeking new employment, which represents the largest group of people seeking better job opportunities since 2015, surpassing the "Great Resignation" of 2021 and 2022, when millions of people quit jobs for better ones.
To gather data for the poll, researchers surveyed over 20,000 U.S. employees between Oct. 23 and Nov. 5, 2024. The workers consisted of adults (aged 18 and older), working full-time or part-time for an employer, and living in the U.S.
RELATED: Bosses admit that return-to-office mandates were meant to make staff quit
One main factor that may contribute to more workers feeling detached from their jobs and desiring a new opportunity is related to the pandemic, which Gallup notes caused many employees to reassess what they value when seeking a new career and company.
Two of the biggest factors for workers are work-life balance and better pay coupled with expectations for remote work flexibility.
The poll noted that the disconnect between what workers expect and what employers offer can leave workers feeling undervalued and questioning their future with the organization.