Aquent released the results of its third Talent Insights Report, collating data from 1,479 respondents in marketing and communications, creative and design, and digital roles across the US, Canada, UK, and the Netherlands.

The research aimed to help organisations and hiring managers to attract and retain top talent by understanding what they value most. With continued talk about the ‘Great Resignation’ talent attraction and retention is at the forefront of many businesses’ agenda.

The pandemic has led to a shift in what people expect from their employers. Job dissatisfaction has increased to almost 33% in 2022 and 2021, compared to 22% in 2019, with poor leadership and layoffs being the leading cause.  

Those in middle-management positions were found to experience a particularly high increase in work pressure during the pandemic, with between 54% and 59% of middle management employees reportedly considering leaving their role in the next 3 to 6 months.

The pandemic has exposed and amplified existing weaknesses within business operations, specifically poor leadership. Employees in the user experience, customer experience, and service design sector were most likely to leave their position due to bad leadership and management.

Analysing at the various requirements that people look for when applying for new job roles, the survey found that talent now values flexible working arrangements almost as much as higher compensation. The importance of career advancement was down 8% from pre Covid-19 levels.

Aliza Sweiry, UK managing director at Aquent says, ‘‘What’s clear from 2021’s findings is the pandemic has been a wake-up call for many people. After a year of adapting to such big transformations, many are reconsidering their career and lifestyle choices and demanding more from their employers. 

To retain top talent businesses must create a work environment that keeps employees satisfied and ensures they do not want to leave. Aquent suggests that businesses survey staff and collect practical feedback on a regular basis to keep up with individual needs and concerns. Competitive salaries and leadership training is one of the many ways to make sure employees feel valued. However, it is clear that providing flexibility which supports a work-life balance will give businesses access to the widest range of talent.