A recent report found that one in three job seekers points to career growth and/or training opportunities as “non-negotiable” factors within today’s job market.

The new research, from New York City-based Clarify Capital, is based on a survey of 750 employees and 250 HR professionals. Beyond development, other critical factors employees are seeking include retirement benefits (42%), remote/hybrid work options (39%), flexible hours (37%) and better health insurance (31%).

According to Michael Baynes, CEO and co-founder at Clarify Capital, a surprise finding is the “trust gap” between employers and employees. With that, he notes, one in five employees surveyed is actively planning to switch jobs. Plus, he says, 42% are passively open to new opportunities.

At the same time, 45% of HR professionals expect to be hiring.

“That means there’s going to be a rush within the talent pool,” he says, “and both sides currently know there are options. It’s a very competitive market.”

Baynes says HR leaders need to pay attention not only to the rising turnover risk, but also to the reasons it’s increasing. He cites that while 68% of employees surveyed say the main reason they want to switch jobs is higher pay, that figure could be misleading.

“It’s not just about the money,” he quickly warns. “It’s also about those retirement benefits, the flexibility to work from home and flexible hours.”

Baynes, in fact, singled out a related survey data point that he says employers everywhere should take note of: Thirty-four percent of HR professionals surveyed know they’ve lost candidates due to their lack of remote work options.

“The discussion about return-to-work mandates can seem to get old fast, but employees are taking notice, and it’s now a legitimate hiring issue,” he says.

With that, Baynes says, even if an organization can’t offer fully remote work arrangements, there may be an opportunity to reassess hybrid work arrangements or work flexibility in another form.

Finding alignment for retention

Given that environment, another critical message is that the key to retention in 2026 is going to be about proactive internal communications about job advancement. The survey found that 41% percent of employees say they are seeking better opportunities for growth within an organization. Better visibility into mobility options could help lower that number, Baynes says.

“These other conversations are just as relevant as salary negotiations,” Baynes explains, adding that based on the survey, the “real winners” in this year’s job shuffle won’t be the organizations that offer the highest salary. Rather, it may well be the ones that offer the best alignment of salary, job flexibility, growth opportunities and culture—in a way that feels value-driven.

“In short, employees are—as is often the case—considering their options, and HR professionals should be considering theirs as well when it comes to retaining and attracting talent,” Baynes says.

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