US workers are looking for flexible work arrangements

More than one third of workers may leave their jobs within the next six months, according to a new survey by The Conference Board. The driving factor: a desire for flexible work arrangements. Of those respondents planning to leave their organizations within six months, flexible work location was ranked as the most desired aspect of a new job, prioritized slightly over better pay and career advancement, the two traditional drivers of job changes.

“The long-term effect of extended remote working arrangements has left its mark. Employees are much less willing to embrace the rigid, conventional work policies of the past about how and where work gets done,” said Rebecca Ray, Executive Vice President of Human Capital at The Conference Board. “Especially for women, to whom the bulk of caretaking and household responsibilities still unfortunately fall, the flexibility to choose what works best for them is critically important. We are starting to see companies with flexible work arrangements successfully attracting the top talent of their competitors who have adopted a more rigid stance. The challenge of attracting and retaining talent in a tightening labor market is only going to become more difficult.”

Read the survey results »