The research, published yesterday (24 February) by recruitment firm Robert Walters, also revealed that 48% of UK employers would hire contract or temporary talent this year, to help with specific projects.
According to Larraine Boorman, CEO at recruitment agency Optima UK, workforce priorities are evolving.
Speaking to HR magazine, she said: “Employers are increasingly turning to agile workforce solutions to meet project demands and maintain operational efficiency.
“Professionals are seeking greater flexibility, better work/life balance and financial incentives, which contract roles can often provide.”
HR leaders need to balance workforce stability and the demand for flexibility, Boorman added, and this means that retention strategies must evolve.
Employers should offer benefits such as clear career progression, competitive rewards and a culture that supports flexibility, Boorman continued.
She said: “Those who adapt will not only retain talent but attract top performers in a dynamic market."
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Pete Taylor, managing director at recruitment firm, GI Group, acknowledged the benefits of contract and temporary work, but emphasised the important role that HR has in retaining permanent employees.
Taylor told HR magazine: “Employees and employers alike rely on temporary work more than ever before. From flexibility to additional income and work/life balance, temp work is the perfect option for many, and the backbone to our economy.
“The current recruitment landscape is challenging across all sectors, but it is important that employers recognise how they can support employees and limit the chances of a ‘wandering workforce’.”
HR professionals can help to retain employees who may be looking to switch roles in a number of ways, according to Habiba Khatoon, a director at Robert Walters.
She told HR magazine: “HR managers must champion open and clear communication with their teams, whether that be financial and business updates or general current events that may impact their staff.
“In our experience, when staff feel fully informed and supported by their employer, they’ll be less inclined to leave.”
She added that employers should be enhancing the value that their employers bring through providing relevant development or progression opportunities, acknowledging hard work, and celebrating significant achievements.
