Data from Michael Page suggests HR professionals are prioritising flexible working in their prospective job searches more than any other industry. 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 per cent of HR professionals cite flexible working as the most important factor when considering a new job – well above the UK average of 52 per cent. Salary remains a crucial consideration for 58 per cent of HR workers, while just a fifth (22 per cent) 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 per cent open to new opportunities and 50 per cent actively seeking them. Notably, 38 per cent 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.
“Our Talent Trends data reveals a rising trend of ‘job hopping’, where workers shape their own career paths to better achieve their goals,” commented Lucy Spencer, People & Culture Director at PageGroup. “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,” she added. “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.
