As back-to-work season sets in, almost two thirds (65%) of Canadian workers are prepared to leave their current employer, according to the latest ADP Canada Sentiment Survey. From workers who are actively looking for a new role to a large cohort that would jump ship for the right offer, employers should be paying attention.

“This new research is a wake-up call for employers who are at risk of losing key talent,” said Jo Ann Miele, Senior Director, Talent & Organizational Development at ADP Canada. “Employers can use a number of levers to improve employee retention, but knowing which ones to pull requires meaningful, ongoing dialogue with their employees.”

Who’s ready to go?
The reveals three types of flight risks:

The Uninspireds: This is a large cohort comprising one third of the workforce (33 per cent) that feel no great loyalty to their current employer, and are easy prey for competitors looking to build up their teams. This group includes a diverse spectrum of workers, including bored superstars to under-achieving clock-punchers.  “Consider giving your stars special projects that expose them to new challenges, opportunities and areas within the organization,” says Miele. “Teambuilding or social activities, community giving programs and recognition at key milestones can inject energy and loyalty, and improve performance and retention.”

The Casual Daters: This cohort is the 16 per cent of the workforce that is casually interested in a new opportunity.  While they haven’t kicked their job search into high gear they are keeping tabs on job boards and professional networking platforms such as LinkedIn.  “Managers should meet regularly with their staff to understand what’s important to them, and what they expect,” says Miele. “Compensation is a common reason to move on, so employers should consider benchmarking their total compensation – salaries, benefits and other perks to ensure they are competitive.”

The Dissed: This group represents the dissatisfied, disengaged and disaffected 16 per cent of the workforce that is actively looking for a new role.  “Not all jobs are right for all people, and any company will have a small number of people looking to move on. This kind of turnover is healthy, but when it’s a significant percentage of your workforce, that signals a more serious issue”, warns Miele.  “In particular, you will want to watch for high performers who are quietly suffering; an employee who has checked out rarely checks back in.” Miele recommends regular coaching conversations focused on goal achievement and peer feedback as tools to identify employees who may be in danger of leaving.  “Regular one-on-ones with high performers can also surface urgent but reversible issues before these people become disengaged,” she adds.

What moves them?
The study also reveals that while compensation is the leading motivation for change, non-monetary quality-of-life improvements aren’t far behind. Compensation is the main reason employees say they would make a move, mentioned first or second by two-thirds of Canadian workers (66 per cent).  However, Canadians also cite a variety of reasons related to quality-of-life — “better work/life balance/fewer hours,” “less stress” and “better location/shorter commute” — which when combined, are mentioned first or second by 56 per cent of employees.

The desire for a higher position is also a key motivator, mentioned first or second by 30 per cent of employees overall, though significant age and gender differences emerge in this area. Specifically:

• Over one third of men (36 per cent), who would leave their job, say they’d do so for a better position, but fewer than one quarter of women (23 per cent) say the same.
• Age matters: Four out of ten employees (39 per cent) ages 18-34 who say they might leave their jobs would do so for a better position, and an almost equal segment of those ages 35-44 (32 per cent) agree. The numbers drop at 45-54 (21 per cent) and 55-64 (seven per cent).

“While Millennials may have a reputation for job-hopping for better opportunities, employers should note that mid-career workers are almost as likely to jump for the same reason,” says Miele. “Replacing these middle managers is much more difficult and costly than replacing more junior staff. On the other hand, if you’re in recruiting mode, you may find you have an edge if you’re able to offer more senior roles or more interesting opportunities to top candidates.”