Attrition in South Africa is rising due to finding a better work-life balance
An increasing number of workers in South Africa are resigning from their jobs to find a healthier company culture and better work-life balance, said reward management platform Remchannel.
In the company’s recent study, more than 36% of all terminations in 2021 were due to resignations. This is significantly higher than the 28% to 32% rate pre-pandemic.
Remchannel Managing Director René Richter said that the employee value proposition [EVP] is “really changing [and] employee loyalty is declining.”
The study reported that almost six in 10 respondents resigned in search of a better EVP without regard to a higher salary. Most reasons quoted relate to flexible work structures, personal development, and escaping toxic culture in the workplace.
Remchannel’s salary and wage movements survey also revealed that most employees do not want to go back to their offices, supporting the sentiment that inflexible businesses were at greater risk of more resignations.
“There are only very few employees that are happy to be back at the office,” said Richter.
Remchannel also reported that almost 40,000 employees resigned from 82 companies in the past year. The costs associated with filling those vacant positions – recruitment and HR processes – total nearly R24 billion (US$1.5 billion).
