Employees are changing jobs. There isn't a single industry immune from the shifting tide of the "buyer's market" we find ourselves in. According to a recent Oliver Wyman survey, employees are looking for new jobs for all kinds of reasons. But maybe not the ones you necessarily think.

It's critical for organizations to understand the "why" so they can focus on the "now what" of the current job market. And whether this "great job shift" is an unlikely opportunity for growth and reflection. 

Below, our Advisor Collective members share their thoughts on questions prompted by the Oliver Wyman survey & article, and how they believe companies should be reacting. This will serve as Part I of a series focused on the question "Why Are Employees Leaving?" - so check back for new commentary. 

According to the survey, the top reasons employees are leaving their jobs or looking for new ones is due to Pay, Balance, and Fulfillment.  Do you agree with this?

1. Anecdotally, I would agree with this. The friends and colleagues I know personally that have moved organizations found better opportunity at another organization. In a lot of cases the reason was money, benefits, or a better balance. A little over a year ago I made a move myself, and it was primarily about the opportunity to re-create a department in the organization. What I learned after I made the move is that the new organization's culture was dramatically better, and that is what will make me stay. – Shannon Klick, Marsh McLennan Agency
2. I agree that those are the top reasons people are leaving their current jobs. It is a two way street; job seekers are demanding higher pay, flexibility, etc. and employers who want and need to be competitive must pay to get the top talent they are looking for.  – Anne Burkett, USI Insurance Services
3. The veil of managing a work persona dropped when necessity forced a focus on the realities of our lives, shared anxieties, and need for wellbeing. This has largely contributed to the sentiment of wanting to be seen and valued for exactly who you are without apology. Therefore, individuals are understandably seeking places and spaces that value flexibility and uniqueness over rigor and structure.  – Mark Stelzner, IA
4. Employees have always wanted these things. The difference today is that the conversation is public, shared, and long overdue. Employers have the choice to listen, assess, and act.  – Corrina Nation, Benefit Technology Resources
5. I agree that pay, balance and fulfillment are major reasons employees are leaving. In my experience, fulfillment belongs at the top, and where I'm seeing "balance" play out is primarily due to challenges managing stress at work. Pay doesn't tend to be the initial driver, but once employees realize that they can accomplish that in addition to other reasons, the combination is tough to surmount.  – Jeremy Ames, Workforce Insight
6. I still believe that people are loyal to and leave managers.  I do think companies need to offer their managers the financial flexibility to proactively compensate key performers as the pay gap can get big enough to entice "happy" employees away from their organizations.  As to balance, I believe for the most part people generate that themselves.  If you are a workaholic at one company, you will end up being a workaholic at your new company as that is just how some people are wired.  – Kevin McCoy, Alliant
7. I agree with this statement but also feel that people are looking to start with a clean slate after almost 2 years of dealing with workplace volatility resulting from an up-ended market. I believe Pay, Balance and Fulfillment may have been always at issue (though possibly not the catalyst) - instead they are now aggravated symptoms from a deeper root cause. By leaving their jobs, employees can deal with both the symptoms and mentally clear the accumulated stress they have endured from almost 2 years of turbulence (much like people do with annual New Year's resolutions).  Closure and new beginnings!  – Deric Haessler, EPIC

8. Yes and No. It always comes down to money. But I think Balance has become a big driver. The Pandemic has allowed us to take a bit of a different perspective in to our job now.  – Vincent Pinto, NFP