More than one-third of professionals claim that the pandemic has stalled their career progress, according to a new survey.
The research from global staffing firm Robert Half, reveals that 38% of professionals said their career has suffered a setback since the start of the pandemic. That number jumps to 66% for those aged between 18 and 24, with Gen Z professionals most likely to feel stuck.
Additionally, 59% of senior managers said they have postponed promoting top performers due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, 78% of those managers now worry about staff retention.
RETENTION CHALLENGES
The research also reveals how employees’ careers and employers’ promotion plans have been negatively impacted by the pandemic. Workers that experienced a stalled career reported feeling stuck when it comes to salary growth (54%); career advancement (47%), ability to grow their professional network (47%); and skills development (44%).
Many professionals also shared that they’re now ready for a career move. Nearly one in three said they had a shift in perspective due to the pandemic; and now want to pursue a more “meaningful” or “fulfilling” job.
“As the job market continues to rebound, employers need to be concerned about retention,” warned Robert Half’s Senior Executive Director Paul McDonald. “Younger professionals, especially, want to be challenged; and may leave if they’re unsatisfied. Now is the time for managers to invest in upskilling, review performance goals and develop mentoring programmes that benefit all employees.”
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