Number of employees actively looking for a new job at highest level in ten years
Lack of development and advancement opportunities drives Belgians to seek jobs elsewhere, according to annual employee survey by Acerta Consult and Stepstone
The number of employees actively looking for another job has not been this high in the past ten years. Nearly one in four working Belgians (22.3%) is actively seeking a job elsewhere. Only in 2015 was this percentage slightly higher (23%), according to the annual employee survey by Acerta Consult and Stepstone, which gauges job expectations from more than 3,300 Belgians. “It’s not the salary, but rather the limited opportunities for advancement within an organization that prompts most employees to look over the fence,” say experts at Acerta Consult.
1 in 4 Wants to Leave
It’s a striking conclusion in times of economic uncertainty: nearly one in four working Belgians indicates they are actively looking for another job. Just over half are not actively seeking, but remain open to other opportunities should they arise (51.8%). On the other hand, 25.9% of employees are certain they will stay with their current employer in the near future. All of this comes from the annual research by Acerta Consult and job site Stepstone Belgium, which provides insight into Belgians’ willingness to change jobs—and therefore, labor market mobility.
David Decouche, Career Transition Expert at Acerta Consult, says:
“Job mobility is a key indicator of the state of the labor market. The current figures show that, despite economic uncertainty, employees are not clinging to their current employers, but are open to change if conditions are better—or even just as good—elsewhere. However, two caveats are worth noting: on the one hand, a large group (also about a quarter) explicitly states that they definitely do not want to leave their current employer. On the other hand, wanting to change jobs does not necessarily mean wanting to change employers. The figure may also indicate dissatisfaction with the current job or job context, and thus a desire to consider another role without necessarily leaving. Some working Belgians hope to take on another position within their current company—they don’t necessarily want to leave. Still, these numbers should give companies pause for thought, as they have many levers in their hands to ensure employees remain with them.”
Figure 1: Percentage of workers who are actively, passively, or not interested in another job in the short or medium term – Talent Pulse 2013–2025
Not Salary, but Development Opportunities Are the Decisive Factor
Salary is not the number one reason why employees look elsewhere. Workers primarily take action when they feel that development and career advancement opportunities at their current employer are lacking. After development opportunities (37%) and salary (31%), a mismatch between personal values and company culture (30%) is also a decisive reason to seek a new job, according to the study.
Figure 2: What drives employee interest in another job – Talent Pulse 2025
Isabel Roche, Senior Market Insights Expert at Stepstone Belgium, says:
“How you position yourself as an employer—your vision, mission, and values—clearly plays a role in an employee’s decision to stay or leave. Workers quickly sense when company values are nothing more than nice words on a website. They expect employers to put their stated values into practice. Prioritizing safety, focusing on wellbeing, offering growth opportunities… these are popular values, but they must not remain empty promises. People want to continue developing, and they want to see themselves reflected in their employer. That’s a key takeaway for organizations from this research.”
About the Figures
The data comes from the annual Talent Pulse survey by Acerta Consult and Stepstone Belgium among working and non-working individuals. There were over 3,300 respondents representing various age groups. 71% of respondents are currently employed, 85% of them with a permanent contract. 80% are white-collar employees and 20% are blue-collar workers, with an average career length of 21 years and 8 years of tenure with employers from different sectors and of varying company sizes.
About ACERTA
ACERTA is an HR services group in Belgium that specializes in advising on, digitizing, and processing administrative procedures related to payroll, social security, business registration, and the professionalization of HR policies. The group supports entrepreneurs and organizations at every growth phase and for every HR process. At ACERTA, it’s all about empowering people. ACERTA aims to deploy its people optimally to help companies maximize their human capital. It is a partner to start-ups, the self-employed and liberal professions, SMEs, accountants, and HR professionals in both private companies and public institutions.
ACERTA employs over 2,000 staff, spread across 26 offices in Flanders, Brussels, and Wallonia. More than 1 in 4 start-ups go through ACERTA’s business counters. The group manages the status of 1 in 3 self-employed individuals, and 1 in 4 organizations use its HR and/or payroll solutions.
About Stepstone
Stepstone is part of The Stepstone Group, a leading digital recruitment platform that connects companies with the right talent and helps people find the right job. The Stepstone Group matches over 110 million applications with more than 150,000 employers each year. Through its integrated platform, The Stepstone Group automates the recruitment process and offers AI-based solutions that span the entire hiring cycle—from sourcing to engagement and recruitment. The Stepstone Group operates in over 30 countries—including Stepstone in Germany, Appcast in the US, and Totaljobs in the UK. The company is headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany, and employs over 3,000 people worldwide.
For more information, please contact:
ACERTA – Sylva De Craecker
T +32 478 27 93 62
E Sylva.De.Craecker@ACERTA.be
