- HR professionals are prioritising flexible working more than any other industry
- Flexible working benefits outpace salary and career progression for job-seeking HR professionals
- Michael Page’s second annual Talent Trends survey demonstrates the increasing ‘Expectation Gap’ between employee desires and employers’ realities
HR professionals are prioritising flexible working in their prospective job searches more than any other industry, according to new data from recruitment experts Michael Page, part of FTSE 250 PageGroup. While salary and career progression have traditionally been the most important workforce drivers, the company’s 2024 Talent Trends report shows HR workers are seeking flexibility above all – signalling a significant shift in priorities in the sector.
In fact, 73% of HR professionals cite flexible working as the most important factor when considering a new job – well above the UK average of 52%. Salary remains a crucial consideration for 58% of HR workers, while just a fifth (22%) prioritise climbing the career ladder when looking for a new role.
According to the report, today’s HR professionals are focusing on personal satisfaction and work-life balance over securing more senior positions that may increase their workload. As attitudes shift from traditional ‘linear’ career trajectories, HR professionals remain receptive to change, with 90% open to new opportunities and 50% actively seeking them. Notably, 38% of those in HR who have started a new job within the last year are already contemplating further moves.
As the talent landscape in HR continues to be highly competitive, it is essential that business leaders find a way to balance fulfilling their business needs with meeting employee ambitions for upward mobility, and, crucially, maintaining a flexible approach.
Lucy Spencer, People & Culture Director at PageGroup said: “Our Talent Trends data reveals a rising trend of 'job hopping', where workers shape their own career paths to better achieve their goals. Where loyalty may once have been the most widely accepted route to progression, now ‘job hopping’ can be an effective strategy for accelerating career growth, often resulting in quicker promotions and pay increases.
“Anyone in a leadership or HR position will know the power of a competitive salary and the opportunity to grow your career. But what needs to become more engrained, especially when it comes to HR professionals, is an openness to new ways of working and embracing flexibility. Working models that cater to salary demands and personal development while protecting work/life balance will be the most successful. This approach is what today’s HR professionals are crying out for, helping to secure talent for a long-term future.”
To explore more insights from Michael Page's 2024 Talent Trends report, read more here.