Why “job-hopping” is a myth
And how to retain your best employees
“No one stays at a job longer than a year.”
“Millennials want a raise, a promotion, and a trophy three months after they’re hired.”
“People used to value loyalty. Everyone spent 30 years with the same firm.”
I’m sure you’ve heard these tired workplace myths.
While the distracted, fickle job-hopper is a familiar archetype, it’s simply not real.
Recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that today’s employees actually stay longer with a company than they did 25 years ago.
In 1983, the average employee spent 3.5 years with one firm. In 1998, that number rose to 3.6.
In 2014, the average employee stayed 4.6 years.
While this isn’t global data, the U.K. and several other countries have reported similar trends.
I won’t speculate about the economic, political, or cultural reasons for this change. Instead, let’s talk about why people stay — and why they go.
In a privately-funded study, employees were asked why they quit their jobs.
