Salary tops the reasons for wanting to jump jobs, but only goes so far

Higher pay may seem an obvious reason to think about making a move, but many marketers are searching for a better work/life balance and training and development.

Of the 41% of marketers who took part in PMW’s Workforce survey that are actively looking or considering a new job, salary is the main temptation for considering a move, with almost six in 10 (58%) stating they are chasing higher pay. 

But PMW has found that higher pay alone is far from the only reason our respondents are looking to jump from their current role – and given that two-thirds of them have been at their current organisation three years or less, it’s clear that other aspects of their working life and indeed career are on their minds. 

With 47% looking for a better work/life balance and 42% looking for better training and development opportunities, there is indeed more to a performance marketer’s working life than simply money. 

General career progression is also a theme we’ve seen, with almost three in 10 seeking a more senior position, and despite the small number, a fifth stating they are looking to change their career.

Paying to stay – will it work?

For organisations, paying to retain creates as many problems as it solves, particularly if this will mean an imbalance in pay across teams, as well as closing up pay scales towards that of more senior managers - some reported requests for increases of more than 50%. There’s also the recognition that a salary bump can sometimes do little more than stave off the inevitable departure in the near-term.