Top talent are quitting due to stalled career growth, survey shows

Summary

Workday’s new research shows top performers are leaving organisations because career mobility has stalled. Promotions fell in 10 of 11 industries and internal hiring slipped by about 8%. The analysis — based on Workday data and surveys of more than 1,700 business leaders and nearly 1,000 job seekers — also found recruitment is taking longer, with over half of roles open more than 30 days and a quarter taking over 60 days to fill.

Employees report lower engagement tied to a lack of advancement and anxiety about AI and unclear future strategies. Workday recommends clearer career pathways, transparent communication and human-centred AI strategies to retain high performers. The piece also links the findings to broader HR trends: shifting focus to internal talent development, deprioritised training budgets and risks to mid-career employees’ progression.

Key Points

Promotions are down in 10 of 11 industries; internal hiring has declined by ~8%.
Top performers left roles “with increasing alarm” across about three-quarters of industries in 2024.
Recruitment is slowing: most open roles take over 30 days to fill; 25% take over 60 days.
Employees report anxiety and disconnection related to AI and unclear organisational AI strategies.
Clear career pathways, transparent communication and human-centred AI planning are recommended to retain talent.
HR trends show a pivot to internal talent development even as training budgets slip, risking mid-career engagement.

Why should I read this?

Short version: your best people are leaving because they can’t see a future with you. If you run teams, manage talent or set HR priorities, this is a handy wake-up call. It flags simple but often-missed fixes — clearer routes to promotion, better L&D and sensible AI messaging — that actually stop people walking out the door. We read it so you don’t have to, but do read the full report if retention matters to you.

Context and relevance

This report plugs straight into three big 2025 HR themes: the people impact of AI, stretched recruitment timelines, and the tug-of-war over investment in learning and development. For leaders trying to balance cost control with talent retention, the findings underline that neglecting career progression (especially for mid-career employees) accelerates attrition and raises hiring costs. Crafting a clear human-AI partnership and restoring visible career pathways will be key to staying competitive in tight labour markets.

Author style

Punchy: this is urgent reading for HR and business leaders. If you care about keeping high performers, the article’s recommendations aren’t optional — they’re the difference between keeping your talent and watching it join the competition.