Research Finds Few Professionals Plan to Leave Their Employers Despite Job Dissatisfaction

New global research from Accenture, titled “The Path Forward,” has found that despite being dissatisfied with their jobs, the majority of professionals plan to stay with their current employers. 

More than half of both the women and men surveyed (57 percent and 59 percent, respectively) are dissatisfied with their jobs.

Despite their current job dissatisfaction, more than two-thirds (69 percent) of all respondents said they do not plan to leave their current employers, with nearly the same number (64 percent) citing flexible work arrangements as the reason for staying put. 

When asked about the greatest barrier to their career advancement, respondents cited a lack of opportunity or a clear career path twice as often as they cited family responsibilities (42 percent vs. 20 percent), while almost one-third (32 percent) cited no barriers to their advancement.

At the same time, most respondents said they are taking a variety of steps to actively manage their careers — including accepting a different role or responsibility (cited by 58 percent of respondents), receiving more education or training (46 percent), and working longer hours (36 percent). 

The Accenture research covers a wide range of employment-related topics; some other findings include:

 -- Flexible work schedules – The majority (59 percent) of respondents reported having some type of flexible work schedule, and 44 percent of this group said they have used flexible work options for more than three years.   

-- Slowed careers – When asked about factors that have slowed their careers, 44 percent of respondents cited the economic downturn, which started in 2008, and 40 percent cited parenthood. 

-- Work/life balance – While more than two-thirds (71 percent) of respondents reported having work/life balance most or all of the time, 42 percent said they often sacrifice time with family in order to succeed, and 41 percent said career demands have a negative impact on their family life.

-- Spouses – The vast majority (73 percent) of respondents with a spouse or significant other said that person also holds a full-time job.

-- Important attributes for career growth – Self-confidence, soft skills and hard work were cited most often as the attributes most important to career growth (cited by 28 percent, 25 percent and 23 percent of respondents, respectively). 

-- Career advice – Approximately one-third of respondents reported they get career advice from colleagues or family (cited by 35 percent and 32 percent of respondents, respectively), and 77 percent said the gender of the person giving career advice does not matter to them.

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