More than half (53%) of UK professionals are quitting new roles due to ‘shift shock’ – a belief that the role is different to what they expected, suggests a survey by recruitment specialist, Robert Walters.
The report suggests that shift shock has become more common in the past two years despite the challenging economic climate. It also found that a similar percentage (52%) blamed an issue with management for leaving a post within the first six months. One in five (20%) blamed a toxic workplace culture for leaving a role.
One in three respondents (75%) believe their employers’ expectations are set too high and nearly one in four (23%) highlight an unforeseen heavy workload (23%).
Lucy Bisset, director of Robert Walters North West, said: “Shift shock has been around for a while, but our data shows that even in less than favourable economic conditions, many professionals still aren’t willing to settle for a position that doesn’t work for them as well.
“Tighter hiring is causing employers to condense roles – this means shifting new responsibilities onto the shoulders of employees without much to alleviate it in the way of a salary bump or bonus. It’s crucial for employers to set clear expectations about workload from the very first interview with a new employee,” she said.
Among the employers surveyed, 42% believe their new recruits in the past 12 months have failed to meet their expectations, 43% believe they have met them, while 15% of new employees have exceeded expectations.
Bisset said that “The concept of shift shock underscores the importance of a mutual understanding and fulfilling of expectations during the hiring process and throughout a professional’s tenure.