54% of people would leave job from lack of career development, according to Hays
The newly released Hays Salary Guide has revealed some alarming stats around employee satisfaction across New Zealand and Australia, clearly illuminating why businesses shouldn’t sideline staff training and upskilling.
The report uncovered many areas of employee dissatisfaction, with six in ten workers feeling like they were underpaid, but it’s not just employees facing issues. Employers are also struggling with staff, with a reported 84% of businesses experiencing a skills shortage in the past year. Some of the biggest challenges employers face is with people’s ‘human skills’ like teamwork, communication and adaptability — soft skills which are more necessary than ever.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. The report also dove into what business can do to improve staff retention, boost productivity, and avoid revenue loss by shining a light on what is making people leave their jobs and how businesses should react.
Written by
Ryan is a specialised corporate learning and development (L&D) manager who advises businesses on the best training solutions for their staff. He has collaborated with hundreds of companies to understand the specific skill gaps in teams and conduct thorough competency benchmarking. This means he has a deep understanding of where workforces are often strong and where they tend to fall behind in terms of digital skills.
What are the core drivers of people wanting to leave?
A third of professionals surveyed said they have changed jobs in the past year, with almost two-thirds planning a move in the next 12 months. Those who had changed jobs had done so because they were either promoted within the same organisation (13%), moved to a different organisation (66%), or changed careers entirely (21%).
77% of tech workers believe they have at least one inadequate digital skill, including in areas such as cyber security, data analytics & visualisation, and AI and machine learning, according to a recent ACS report.
35% if people who have left their current organisations or changed careers did so because of low salary, 23% because of lack of progression and 17% because of little to no learning and development opportunities.
54% of people planning to leave their current organisation would do so due to lack of career development and growth, this was found mostly to be a concern for those under the age of 24 and between 30-39. A lack of future opportunities is the core reason for 45% and low salaries for 42% wanting to leave.
What do staff want to stay engaged and employed?
The report also investigated what employees wanted out of their companies outside of development with the most valued employee benefits being; flexible working (58%), additional annual leave (45%), health insurance or private medical cover (18%) and further study (15%).
With a worry around job stability, it’s no wonder L&D is so important to workers, with 33% of NZ employees wanting career development initiatives to help keep them engaged and, in their job.
Organisations agree with the sentiments and say they want to invest in staff in a bid to retain their talent with almost universal intent to develop their teams. But how can this be achieved in an ever-developing world?
Utilise your workforce, don't push them out
With some of the most in-demand roles for 2025 including Cyber Security Specialists, Software Developers and office support roles like Project Administrators, it’s a better time than ever to invest in your staff training programmes for these skills.
Reduce the risk of losing staff and having to rehire by offering what they really want: learning and development.
Our business training solutions offer companies the opportunity to upskill their staff using the latest globally recognised qualifications in project management, IT and Tech. We have over 15 years’ experience in tech and business training collaborating with corporate clients across Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
Whatever your business goals, we have a solution, why not arrange a free call so I can discuss how we can solve your business needs.
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