Increased levels of burnout and fatigue have prompted more employees to feel stuck in their role, according to the 2023 Pulse of Talent report by global leader in human capital management (HCM) technology, Ceridian.

Almost nine in 10 (89%) of manufacturing employees feeling stuck over the past year, with one-third (33%) feeling that way often or always. This has resulted in feeling less motivated (66%), doing the bare minimum (31%), and procrastinating more (29%).

There’s a clear call to leadership to ensure career paths and growth plans are effectively implemented for employees. Close to six in 10 (59%) employees don’t feel or are unsure if their employer understands their career progressions, but 58% of employees who say they have a clear career path with their employer would stay longer with their employer.  

Retail employees are looking for a new job due to low compensation (50%), not wanting to feel burnt out (34%), and no flexibility (34%).  

Ceridian managing director of Australia and New Zealand, Brian Donn said, “The research shows workers have commitment issues with their employers. An important way employers can help combat this trend is to offer meaningful work/life and career flexibility that meets the needs of today’s modern workforce, including allowing greater flexibility in how, where, and when employees complete their jobs.”

The report also showed less than half (45%) of respondents said their employer understands their career aspirations, more than one-third (35%) find a change in career paths within their company appealing. Among flight-risk employees, just over half of employee respondents (51%) would consider staying if their employer provided opportunities to change career paths within their company.

More than four-in-ten surveyed employees (43%) are interested in moving into a new role in a different department or team, and 49% said they want to contribute skills to new projects from within their current role.

“What’s clear from our research is that employees have commitment issues with their employers,” Ceridian chief human resources officer, Susan Tohyama said.

“There is an opportunity for employers to counter this trend, with their own long-term commitment to employee work/life, career flexibility, and engagement. This includes opening up opportunities for employees across an organization, while giving them greater control about where, when, and how their job gets done to truly meet the needs of a modern workforce.”

When asked what employees value most in a job, surveyed workers globally cited compensation – yet that factor remained flat year-over-year at 55%. Survey data shows flexibility/work-life balance rose to 49% (up from 41%) overtaking job security, which dropped to 36% (down from 47%). Notably, respondents aged 18 to 24 selected flexibility as their most important job attribute at 44% (ranking it above compensation at 41%, and job security at 26%).