Time To Quit? The Top Reasons UK Workers Leave Their Jobs

You’ve finally come to the decision that you’re going to leave your job and for some people, the feeling after that decision is happiness whereas others may feel sadness. Either way, it is a big decision to make, particularly for anyone who has been employed at the same workplace for a long period of time.

As such, it only makes sense that according to new research that surveyed 1,000 UK workers by CV-Library, two thirds of workers (66.7%) felt that quitting their job was a difficult thing. Making the decision is hard enough, but actually going through with quitting can be even harder, with just under half of those surveyed (42%) stating they were nervous about quitting.

Why Do People Quit?

Leaving your job is often a very personal thing, with people often having many various reasons as to why they are quitting exactly, there can often be a similar thread between reasons. This was confirmed by the survey which found that there are at least 5 reasons that are used frequently.

The most common reason is rather neutral with a better opportunity came along, with just over half (52.1%) citing this as their top reason for leaving. For some however, it was more due to being unhappy with some aspect of their work with 13.9% of respondents saying they did not get on with their boss and 5.8% saying they were no longer satisfied with either their job or their working environment.

The remaining two reasons were that respondents had gone travelling or taken some time out (6.6%) or that they left to study (4.4%).

People Are Not Aware Of Leaving Etiquette?

Worryingly, the survey also asked whether or not people knew how to correctly leave their job with a staggering majority (85.9%) admitting they had never been taught the process for how to leave. If they were faced with leaving their job right now, just under half (49.6%) said that they would organise a meeting and do it face to face.

For younger employees, almost a quarter (22.5%) would choose to email their employer to inform them of their decision to quit, showing the influence of digital in our lives.

While leaving a job may leave most people with a sense that they do not need to care about their old job anymore, it is important to remember to not burn any bridges with your previous job. So how do you quit a job gracefully and ensure both you and your ex-employer leave on positive terms?

How To Leave Your Job

One of the most important things is to remember to give the full notice period required. A large number of workplaces will require two weeks’ notice at a minimum. For people who have been there significantly longer, or anyone who is higher up in the hierarchy, it will be more likely that a longer notice period is required.

For people as high as directors or CEOs, it could even potentially be up to a year’s notice period to allow their employer time to find a replacement and train them.

As well as this, it’s important that the first person in your workplace who finds out that you are leaving is your manager. This is simply a matter of respect, it would be considered incredibly disrespectful for your manger to find out their employee is leaving second hand.

When you’re officially in your notice period, it’s probably recommended that you don’t gossip or brag about your new job. You’ve officially entered the twilight area where people will know you are leaving and are probably curious, but there may be some resentment from others as well.