Almost half, or 48%, of workers in New Zealand are planning to change jobs in the next year, according to a survey from HR software firm Employment Hero.

The survey also found that 40% of workers are planning to search for a new job within the next six months while 15% are already actively searching.

Of the workers not looking to move job roles, 20% believe it is risky to try and change jobs at this time due to the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic. However, these workers said that as restrictions and lockdowns lift, they will likely search for a new job.

By age group, two-thirds of 18-24 year olds are looking to switch jobs in the next year while 64% of those aged 25-34 plan to switch jobs and 56% of those aged 34-44 are also looking to jump ship.

As for reasons for job hopping, Employment Hero’s research points to stagnant salaries as the main reason for employees wanting to switch jobs, with 37% identifying a lack of pay rise as the top factor while 31% identified a lack of career opportunities as the top reason for wanting to leave.

“Handing out pay rises is not always feasible for businesses against the backdrop of the pandemic, but if businesses can afford to give their workers a salary increase, now is the time for them to take action,” Alex Hattingh, Chief People Officer at Employment Hero, said.

“If a business doesn’t have the means or structure available to offer promotions at this time, they can set up a career development pathway for their staff,” Hattingh added. “Companies need to work with their people to plan where they would like their career to go and outline how they can help them get there; whether that be with additional training, internal mentorship or a change of responsibilities.