Persistent Disconnect Between U.S. Workers and Employers in 2025

New research highlights critical gaps in workplace expectations, urging employers to realign strategies to meet evolving employee priorities.

AMSTERDAM, April 30, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A new report by Jobseeker, a leading career development platform, reveals a deepening disconnect between U.S. workers and employers in 2025. Based on surveys of over 1,000 employees and 350 HR professionals, the findings highlight urgent misalignments in remote work, DEI, workplace culture, and job security—areas that could drive employee turnover if left unaddressed.

Key Findings:

• Remote Work Preferences: While 47% of employees desire fully remote positions, only 7% of employers offer such arrangements, indicating a substantial gap in flexible work options.
• Workplace Culture: A positive work environment is a priority for 46% of employees, yet only 29% of employers recognize its importance, highlighting a disconnect in organizational culture values.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): DEI initiatives are important to 29% of employees, but a mere 8% of employers acknowledge this, suggesting a need for greater emphasis on inclusive practices.
• Job Security Concerns: Job security ranks as the second most cited reason employees consider changing jobs. However, only 18% of employers identify job instability as a factor in employee turnover, pointing to a misalignment in understanding workforce concerns.
• AI Integration Pressures: A significant 65% of employees feel pressured to utilize AI in their roles, whereas only 37% of employers prioritize AI proficiency in hiring, indicating a mismatch in technological expectations.

Employee Priorities vs. Employer Perceptions:

Employers and employees aren't directly aligned on their opinions of what leads to job satisfaction, with employers over-emphasizing salary and benefits expectations and underestimating employee priorities in other areas:

• Salary & benefits: 61% of employees vs. 70% of employers (small gap).
• Job security: 51% of employees vs. 54% of employers (small gap).
• Work-life balance: 46% of employees vs. 50% of employers (small gap).
• Positive culture: 46% of employees vs. 29% of employers (large gap).
• Career growth: 40% of employees vs. 30% of employers (moderate gap).
• Flexibility: 31% of employees vs. 36% of employers (small gap).
• DEI initiatives: 29% of employees vs. 8% of employers (large gap).

What's Pushing Employees Away in 2025?

The disconnect between why employees wish to change jobs and employers' understanding could be one of the reasons so many workers feel the need to leave their current employer. According to a previous study, these are the top four factors employees consider when planning to leave their jobs in 2025:

• Better salary and benefits,
• Job security,
• More growth opportunities,
• A better work environment.

And based on the Jobseeker's survey of HR specialists, these are the reasons they believe employees are leaving:

• Low salary or better pay elsewhere: 43%
• Relocation or personal reasons: 40%
• Better benefits offered by competitors: 39%
• Lack of career growth opportunities: 25%
• Poor work-life balance: 24%
• Toxic work culture or bad management: 23%
• Job instability or layoffs: 18%
• Limited or no remote work options: 17%
• Lack of recognition or appreciation: 13%

Job security and finding a better workplace culture are far more important for employees than what HR and employers think.

How Employers Can Close the Gap:

• Foster Real Culture Connections: Develop an internal events calendar to plan meaningful moments of connection throughout the year (wellness programs, group activities, social gatherings). This helps ensure that the connection isn't left to chance, but intentionally woven into your culture.
• Make Meetings Cultural Moments: Use bi-weekly/ monthly or company-wide updates to spotlight values, recognize employees, and build psychological safety. In these meetings, are you adhering to your company's core values? Put every regular meeting under a microscope and ask: How can we make this a moment that strengthens culture? These rituals don't have to be big productions, but they should be intentional, and your regular pulse surveys can help guide and evolve them over time.
• Support Inclusive Growth: Launch structured development programs to support underrepresented groups, including women, in stepping into leadership roles. Offer mentorship, sponsorship, and tailored support that addresses specific barriers to advancement.
• Rethink Remote Work Policies: Review and update remote work policies to reflect current realities, prioritizing performance outcomes over traditional attendance metrics.

About Jobseeker:

Jobseeker is a comprehensive toolbox that empowers candidates to navigate the employment market through innovative solutions. As the voice of the job seeker, they guide applicants towards the next step in their career with access to an intuitive CV builder, application tracker, cover letter generator, and job matcher. Jobseeker's toolbox has expanded across 28 languages and services applicants across almost every worldwide territory.

Media Contact

Reyhaneh Mansouri, Jobseeker, 31 619047057, [email protected], https://www.jobseeker.com/en

SOURCE Jobseeker