In the race for talent in India, new research released today from Qualtrics reveals nearly 40 per cent of workers in the country could switch jobs this year – a figure higher than most countries in South Asia, and the global average.
Despite respondents in India reporting some of the highest levels of engagement (85 per cent) and wellbeing (89 per cent) at work globally, just 62 per cent plan to stay with their current employer for the next 12 months. At a time when Tier-II and Tier-III cities are emerging as talent hubs, and high levels of hiring sentiment, the Qualtrics findings – taken from the Qualtrics 2022 Employee Experience Trends report – highlight the critical need for employers to prioritise improving the employee experience in order to attract and retain talent in India’s competitive job market.
For employers looking to increase intent to stay among their employees in hybrid or remote environments, ensuring individuals are aligned with the strategic goals of the organisation is key. Prioritising employee wellbeing, creating a culture of belonging, and ensuring employees feel like their career goals can be met are also important drivers of intent to stay in India.
“To effectively compete in the race for talent and successfully navigate challenges caused by the shift to hybrid, businesses across India must continue to adopt new mindsets, and define and iterate their ways of working. As seen in the Qualtrics research, addressing the challenges faced are not as simple as setting new work schedules or boosting engagement. People are making career decisions based on multiple factors, meaning the ability to quickly and easily identify and respond to the issues having the biggest impact with tools like Qualtrics is a significant advantage,” said Lauren Huntington, Employee Experience Solutions Strategist for Qualtrics in India.
Successfully adopting permanent hybrid work policies in India will also be critical to attracting and retaining talent in 2022, with 60 per cent of respondents saying they would look for a new job if forced back to the office full-time – almost double the global average (35 per cent). The most popular hybrid arrangement for employees is three days remote / two in the office, followed closely by four days remote / one in the office.
To support the shift to hybrid work in India and better enable employees, employers must focus on improving the technology experience for employees. Findings reveal just over half (54 per cent) said the technology provided meets their expectations. Investing in improving technology in the hybrid workplace will pay off in many ways. Beyond helping drive retention, the Qualtrics research shows employees who are satisfied with the technology available are almost three times more likely to be engaged at work.
The Qualtrics research reinforces the importance of regularly listening, understanding, and acting on employee feedback to create an advantage in India’s competitive and evolving job market. By better and more frequently understanding the complete employee experience delivered – from the technology used through to the drivers of retention – organisations can quickly and confidently design new and improved offerings aligned to changing employee needs and expectations.
