The Shift in UK Employment Trends: Insights from Culture Amp
Overview of Employee Attrition in the UK
As of December 2025, a striking 24 percent of workers in the UK express intentions to leave their jobs in the short term. This figure represents a minor but noteworthy uptick from the previous year, highlighting a trend of sustained attrition in the workplace. The research, spearheaded by Culture Amp—a prominent employee experience and performance management platform—gleans its insights from an expansive dataset comprised of 1.4 billion responses to 97 million surveys collected from 8,200 global companies, of which 816 are UK-based.
This data not only sheds light on the UK labor market but echoes similar sentiments across the globe. For instance, Germany is experiencing a 25 percent short-term resignation rate, while the United States enjoys the highest long-term job stability, with only 9 percent of its workforce eyeing a change by 2027.
Top Reasons for Leaving Jobs
Globally, 20 percent of individuals indicate plans to leave their jobs within the next year. Career growth emerges as the primary motivator for 41 percent of these employees, closely followed by work-life balance (12 percent) and compensation or benefits (10 percent).
When analyzing motivations by workforce generations, a unifying theme appears: the pursuit of growth. Among Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X, career advancement consistently stands out as the main driving force for seeking new opportunities, with figures ranging from 24 to 28 percent.
Further exploration reveals nuanced motivators across different age groups. For example, while Gen Z is motivated by a change in career (17 percent), Millennials prioritize compensation and benefits (14 percent), along with work-life balance (11 percent). In contrast, Gen X highlights work-life balance (13 percent) and compensation (12 percent). Baby Boomers, on the other hand, cite personal reasons (27 percent)—likely influenced by retirement or a desire to scale back their work commitments—as their predominant reason for leaving.
Challenges for Organizations
Jessica Brannigan, the Head of Customer Experience at Culture Amp, emphasizes that employee growth has become a crucial factor in retention. In a challenging economic landscape, where organizations are leaning towards operational efficiency, development opportunities often take a back seat.
“When employees are dissatisfied with the development options available to them, organizations face the imperative to creatively engage and challenge top talent,” Brannigan notes. This is particularly vital as promoting employees may not always be feasible; thus, encouraging skill-building and interesting assignments, along with access to leadership opportunities, can be essential for retaining talent.
Significance of Leadership in Employee Retention
Justin Angsuwat, Chief People Officer at Culture Amp, warns that the high levels of short-term attrition risk in both Germany and the UK signal a need for leadership teams to reflect critically on their strategies.
Angsuwat asserts that the narrative behind the statistics is equally important. Employees who perceive their growth are significantly more likely to achieve high performance a year later. This suggests that mobility within organizations should be recognized as a retention strategy rather than a luxury. “Effective managers who prioritize coaching and frequently developing employees are crucial,” he affirms, noting that leaders who provide clarity and pathways for growth will have a competitive edge as we transition into 2026.
Culture Amp’s Role and Data Insights
Culture Amp stands as a pioneering force in the realm of employee experience and analytics, supporting over 25 million employees across more than 6,500 companies to foster a healthier work culture. The platform’s insights play a crucial role in helping organizations understand employee engagement and performance, allowing them to make data-driven choices.
The chronicling of trends over time, made possible through an extensive data pool that includes insights from six-monthly benchmarks, allows organizations to grasp shifts in workplace dynamics and employee motivations effectively. This continual refresh of data ensures a deep understanding of how to manage and engage employees.
Navigating the Future of Work
The trends reflected in the Culture Amp data reveal a pressing need for organizations to rethink their employee engagement and retention strategies. By prioritizing development opportunities and fostering an environment of growth, businesses can strengthen their workforce and mitigate the attrition rates that threaten to disrupt operations in the years ahead.
As 2026 approaches, organizational leaders face a pivotal moment: the opportunity to create a work environment where employees feel valued, challenged, and motivated to thrive.
