Half of Brits want to quit their jobs but take two years to work up the nerve

Over half of all Brits want to quit their jobs, but it takes them two years to work up the courage to do so, according to stats released on Wednesday.

Research from job board Monster Jobs has revealed 52% of UK workers want to quit, but an average of four fifths of them (79%) take up to two years to work up to leaving.

Brits told Monster Jobs they are unhappy with their current roles because they aren’t paid enough (32%), need a new challenge (21%), are just plain bored (18%) or are lacking clear career progression (16%).

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But although they’re unhappy, many languish in jobs far beyond the point they’ve decided to move, with 7% even waiting four years to quit their jobs.

Those who have hung on in jobs they no longer enjoy said they did so because they liked their team too much (16%), lack confidence (15%), don’t have enough time to find a new job (14%) or fear they don’t have enough experience (14%).

The reasearch also revealed a difference in the experiences of men and women when considering quitting a full-time job.

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Women are more likely to want leave a job due to a lack of flexibility in the role and a stalling career progression, Monster Jobs found.

But a fifth of women said they don’t feel confident enough to apply for a new job, verses only 9% of men.

When it comes to making the jump to a new role, more women than men said they are worried about interviewing and joining a new team, and question whether they have enough experience to successfully apply.

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Men however, said they see the time consuming process of applying for a new job (12%) as more of a barrier.

Overall, a third of Brits said they would find applying for jobs easier if the process was more streamlined.

A quarter said they would prefer to only upload their CV once and would ideally like to apply for a job as easily as swiping right on Tinder.

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Other reasons Brits said they want to leave their jobs include stress, too many hours, not learning new skills, feeling unsupported by their boss, and wanting to change industry.

Louise Goodman, marketing director at Monster Jobs, said: “Moving jobs is hard. It can be time consuming, and working up the confidence to put yourself out there can be tricky.

“But the benefits of moving outweigh languishing in a role that isn’t fulfilling you – from the potential for more pay, greater chance at career progression and even improved mental health.

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“Time should never be the reason you don’t take the plunge to revitalise your career. Apps like Monster Job Search are making applying for jobs easier and quicker than ever before – and you can do it on the go from your mobile.

“Finding the right job is now as quick and easy as swiping right on a dating app.”