Why do employees leave their jobs?

Millions of Americans have changed jobs over the past year. And their motivations extend beyond just earning more money. The Herbers & Company 2022 Leadership Study reveals that leadership, burnout, and a search for fulfillment are among the key factors that have prompted workers to leave their jobs en masse and find new ones.

Our sample survey of 750 employees between the ages of 22 and 65 revealed that about one in three employees—34% of men and 30% of women—left a full-time job in the past year to start a new one. All survey respondents had at least a four-year college degree and household income of $50,000 or more. All had left a full-time job within the last year for a new full-time position. These job changers tended not to have regrets: 84% of respondents, if given the opportunity, would leave their old job again, while 8% would not, and 9% were not sure.

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More men left their jobs in the past year than women. 34% of men and 30% of women left a full-time job in the past year to start a new one.

Compensation was a factor in the decision to accept a new job among both men and women, but not the reason why they began to search for new employment. Eleven percent of respondents said they took a pay cut, while 59% got a raise and 30% earned the same pay after accepting a new position.

Diving deeper into the data, the survey results showed a clearer picture about what prompted employees to begin searching for a new job in the first place, and money wasn’t the top reason. Employees began seeking new employment over the past year for four primary reasons. Over half of the respondents left because they disliked leadership style (69%) as the primary factor, followed by burnout (38%), lack of fulfillment (36%), and lack of flexibility (35%).

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Why are employees leaving their jobs? 69% of the employees said they left their old job because they disliked the leadership style.

What leadership qualities were survey respondents seeking in their new jobs? The top desired leadership quality among women and men was empathy, meaning respondents desired a leader who was understanding of their personal needs and professional goals. Being efficient ranked second most desired trait, and knowledgeable third.

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The top three qualities employees wanted in their leaders. Empathy was the most desired characteristic employees wanted in a leader.

Employees reported traits that were not as important in a leader, too. The respondents' ranked delegating authority and resilience the lowest, followed by being a visionary leader third.

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The three least desired leadership qualities. Delegating authority was the least important quality employees desired in a leader.

Based on the results of our 2022 Leadership Study, both women and men agree that empathy–the ability to understand–is the most desirable trait of a leader they want to work for.