More than half of professionals in the UK are giving up new jobs because they do not meet their expectations, new research shows.

In a survey by Robert Walters, 53% of employees admitted to leaving a job within the first six months due to “shift shock” – that is, believing the role was completely different from what was advertised when they applied.

According to the HR specialist, Despite the difficult economic climate, the phenomenon of shift shock has become more common over the past two years. The latest evidence suggests that many workers are willing to quit if a job no longer meets their needs.

The study also found that a similar percentage (52%) of respondents blamed issues with management for leaving their job within the first six months, while a toxic work culture was the reason one in five (20%) left their job.

Lucy Bisset, director of Robert Walters North West, said: “Shift shock has been around for some time, but our data shows that even in less favourable economic conditions, many professionals are unwilling to settle for a role that doesn’t work so well for them.”

One in three respondents (75%) believes that their employer’s expectations are too high and almost one in four (23%) points to an unexpectedly high workload (23%).

Bisset added: “With slow growth in the labor market, increasing economic inactivity and ongoing cost-cutting measures, it is easy to see how much working professionals are feeling the squeeze.

“Tighter hiring policies are causing employers to intensify jobs – that is, they are giving employees new responsibilities without giving them a big pay rise or bonus. It is crucial for employers to set clear expectations about workloads in the first interview with a new employee.”

Two fifths (42%) of employers surveyed believe their new hires have not met their expectations in the last 12 months. A slightly larger percentage (43%) believe they have met them, while only a minority (15%) of new hires have exceeded their expectations.

According to Robert Walters, this is bad news for companies, as the average cost of finding, onboarding and training an employee can be around six to nine months’ salary. He also warns that the cost of new hires to an employer can be even higher when you consider the time and resources required.

Bisset explained that onboarding processes that result in unmet expectations on either the employer or employee side can leave companies with the difficult decision of whether to repeat the entire costly process or try to improve the situation by investing in more training and incentives.

She concluded: “The concept of ‘shift shock’ highlights the importance of mutual understanding and meeting expectations during the recruitment process and throughout a professional’s employment.

“The focus is on key elements such as clearly defined roles and responsibilities, clear expectations, checking for cultural fit and outlining growth opportunities to encourage long-term commitment.”

HR roles in recruitment on Personnel Today

Search for more HR positions in recruitment consulting