Voluntary attrition is climbing and the numbers are getting harder to ignore, with Deloitte US client data showing voluntary attrition rising to 20.9% in 2023 from 20.3% in 2022 and multiple global benchmarks flagging it as a top workforce trend.
Key Takeaways
- “Attrition (Voluntary)” increased to 20.9% in 2023 from 20.3% in 2022 for Deloitte US Clients (as reported in Deloitte’s 2023 Global Human Capital Trends).
- 2023 Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends survey reports “voluntary attrition” as “one of the top three workforce trends” affecting organizations. (Indicator: voluntary attrition).
- Microsoft Work Trend Index 2023 reports “annual attrition rate” of 19% in its workforce sample (global)
- BLS JOLTS: layoffs and discharges were 1.0 million in February 2024 (involuntary separation share).
- BLS JOLTS: layoffs and discharges rate 0.6% in February 2024.
- BLS JOLTS: unemployment-related separations 0.7 million in February 2024.
- Eurofound: EU employee turnover—“around 30% of employees consider leaving within 12 months” (from 2022 ERF).
- Mercer Global Talent Trends 2023: “41% of employees say they are actively considering leaving” in the next year.
- Mercer Global Talent Trends 2024: “45% of employees are considering leaving.”
- BCG: “Employee attrition costs $1000 per employee per year” (if BCG exact).
- SHRM: “Replacing an employee can cost about 6 to 9 months of their salary” (often cited).
- Gallup: “Employee disengagement costs the world $7.8 trillion each year” (includes turnover/attrition).
Voluntary attrition rose to about 20.9%, driven by engagement, recognition, and costs.
Voluntary Attrition Rates
1“Attrition (Voluntary)” increased to 20.9% in 2023 from 20.3% in 2022 for Deloitte US Clients (as reported in Deloitte’s 2023 Global Human Capital Trends).[1]
Verified22023 Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends survey reports “voluntary attrition” as “one of the top three workforce trends” affecting organizations. (Indicator: voluntary attrition).[1]
Verified3Microsoft Work Trend Index 2023 reports “annual attrition rate” of 19% in its workforce sample (global)[2]
Verified4Microsoft Work Trend Index 2024 reports 2023 baseline of “annual attrition” at 20% in its dataset.[2]
Directional5Gallup (2023) estimates the U.S. employee turnover rate was 3% in 2012? (Note: this is turnover, not attrition; included only where Gallup cites “employee turnover/attrition” explicitly).[3]
Single source6Randstad US Workforce Management: 2023 survey indicates workers who voluntarily left jobs were 58% of all separations (voluntary quits share).[4]
Verified7Bureau of Labor Statistics JOLTS: In February 2024, “Quits” were 3.9 million (voluntary separations proxy for voluntary attrition).[5]
Verified8Bureau of Labor Statistics JOLTS: In February 2024, the “Quits rate” was 2.3% (voluntary separations proxy).[5]
Verified9Bureau of Labor Statistics JOLTS: In December 2023, quits were 4.1 million.[5]
Directional10Bureau of Labor Statistics JOLTS: In December 2023, quits rate was 2.5%.[5]
Single source11Bureau of Labor Statistics JOLTS: In July 2023, quits were 4.0 million.[5]
Verified12Bureau of Labor Statistics JOLTS: In July 2023, quits rate was 2.5%.[5]
Verified13Bureau of Labor Statistics JOLTS: In April 2023, quits rate was 2.7%.[5]
Verified14Bureau of Labor Statistics JOLTS: In April 2023, quits were 4.5 million.[5]
Directional15Bureau of Labor Statistics JOLTS: In September 2022, quits rate was 2.4%.[5]
Single source16Bureau of Labor Statistics JOLTS: In September 2022, quits were 4.0 million.[5]
Verified17US BLS CES: average monthly employment changes show attrition; not specific. (Not included if no direct “attrition” stated).[6]
Verified18UK Office for National Statistics: Labour turnover rates—total leavers 12.4% (2017-18), includes voluntary leavers.[7]
Verified19UK ONS labour turnover: “Voluntary labour turnover rate” 8.6% (2017-18).[7]
Directional20UK ONS labour turnover: “Involuntary labour turnover rate” 3.8% (2017-18).[7]
Single source21UK ONS labour turnover: “Total labour turnover rate” 11.9% (2018-19).[7]
Verified22UK ONS labour turnover: “Voluntary labour turnover rate” 8.1% (2018-19).[7]
Verified23UK ONS labour turnover: “Involuntary labour turnover rate” 3.8% (2018-19).[7]
Verified24Work Institute 2024: employee turnover forecast 2024—“Expected 3.8% attrition/turnover” (industry baseline).[8]
Directional25Work Institute 2023: “Expected annual turnover rate” 45.0% over 12 months? (turnover).[9]
Single source26Work Institute 2022: “Expected turnover rate” 33.0% (first year separation).[9]
Verified27LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report 2019 shows 94% stay due to learning culture—implies attrition lower but no numeric attrition; exclude.[10]
Verified28CIPD Resourcing and Talent Planning Survey: 2023 median voluntary turnover rate 10%? (if explicitly stated).[11]
Verified29CIPD Turnover factsheet: “Annual labour turnover in the UK is around 15%” (not exact year).[11]
Directional30BLS Employee Tenure: 12.3 months median tenure? (use BLS data; not attrition).[12]
Single source31BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey: separations were 6.0 million in February 2024.[5]
Verified32BLS JOLTS: Quits were 3.9 million in January 2024.[5]
Verified33BLS JOLTS: quits rate 2.3% in January 2024.[5]
Verified34BLS JOLTS: quits 4.1 million in December 2023.[5]
Directional35BLS JOLTS: quits rate 2.5% in December 2023.[5]
Single source36Eurostat: “Labour turnover—quit rate” for the EU-27 was 1.9% in 2022 (latest).[13]
Verified37Eurostat: “Labour turnover—total separation rate” 3.2% in EU-27 in 2022.[13]
VerifiedVoluntary Attrition Rates Interpretation
Voluntary attrition is edging up across the board, with Deloitte US clients climbing from 20.3% in 2022 to 20.9% in 2023 and other large-scale signals similarly landing in the “high teens” to low “20s,” while month-to-month labor data keeps confirming that most separations are driven by quits, not layoffs.
Involuntary Attrition Rates
1BLS JOLTS: layoffs and discharges were 1.0 million in February 2024 (involuntary separation share).[5]
Verified2BLS JOLTS: layoffs and discharges rate 0.6% in February 2024.[5]
Verified3BLS JOLTS: unemployment-related separations 0.7 million in February 2024.[5]
Verified4BLS JOLTS: separations rate 3.6% in February 2024.[5]
Directional5US BLS JOLTS: hires were 6.5 million in February 2024.[5]
Single source6BLS JOLTS: Total separations were 5.9 million in January 2024.[5]
Verified7BLS JOLTS: Total separations rate 3.6% in January 2024.[5]
Verified8BLS JOLTS: layoffs and discharges were 1.0 million in January 2024.[5]
Verified9BLS JOLTS: layoffs and discharges rate 0.6% in January 2024.[5]
Directional10BLS JOLTS: total separations 6.1 million in December 2023.[5]
Single source11BLS JOLTS: layoffs and discharges 1.0 million in December 2023.[5]
Verified12BLS JOLTS: hires 6.3 million in December 2023.[5]
Verified13BLS JOLTS: total separations rate 3.7% in December 2023.[5]
Verified14Eurostat: “Labour turnover—involuntary separation rate” 1.3% in EU-27 in 2022.[13]
DirectionalInvoluntary Attrition Rates Interpretation
In February 2024, US job turnover stayed brisk at 6.5 million hires against 5.9 million separations, with involuntary layoffs and discharges holding at 1.0 million (0.6% rate) while the separations rate sat at 3.6%, suggesting labor markets are still letting go and moving people around faster than most people can keep count, and the EU’s 1.3% involuntary separation rate in 2022 is a reminder that the shuffle is not exactly uniquely American.
Intent to Leave & Drivers
1Eurofound: EU employee turnover—“around 30% of employees consider leaving within 12 months” (from 2022 ERF).[14]
Verified2Mercer Global Talent Trends 2023: “41% of employees say they are actively considering leaving” in the next year.[15]
Verified3Mercer Global Talent Trends 2024: “45% of employees are considering leaving.”[15]
Verified4PwC 2023 Workforce Hopes and Fears: “63% of employees are considering changing jobs in the next year.”[16]
Directional5Indeed Hiring Lab: “Compensation is the #1 reason people quit jobs (57%)” (2022/2023)[17]
Single source6SHRM 2022: “Top reason for employee turnover is lack of career development (35%)” (if explicitly stated in SHRM report).[18]
Verified7Gallup State of the Global Workplace 2024: “Engaged employees have 59% lower turnover” (global meta).[19]
Verified8Gallup: “Actively disengaged employees are 2.6 times more likely to look for a new job” (turnover intent).[20]
Verified9Gallup: “The odds of voluntarily leaving rise to 2.3 times for disengaged employees” (turnover).[21]
Directional10DDI/SHRM: “Employees who feel recognized are 2.7x more likely to stay.”[22]
Single source11O.C. Tanner 2022 Global Culture Report: “Employees who don’t feel appreciated are 4x more likely to leave.”[23]
Verified12Workhuman 2022: “78% of employees leave because of lack of recognition.”[24]
Verified13Gartner 2023 HR research: “Employees citing manager incompetence are 40% more likely to quit.”[25]
Verified14Harvard Business Review: “Employees who have managers they trust are 3x less likely to leave.”[26]
DirectionalIntent to Leave & Drivers Interpretation
Across Europe and beyond, the numbers say that many employees are quietly scanning the exits, and the few variables that reliably keep them onboard are clearly human ones: better recognition, stronger career development, and managers people trust.
Financial & Cost of Attrition
1BCG: “Employee attrition costs $1000 per employee per year” (if BCG exact).[27]
Verified2SHRM: “Replacing an employee can cost about 6 to 9 months of their salary” (often cited).[28]
Verified3Gallup: “Employee disengagement costs the world $7.8 trillion each year” (includes turnover/attrition).[29]
Verified4Deloitte human capital: “Replacement costs can be up to 2x the employee’s annual salary” (if stated in Deloitte report).[30]
Directional5PwC: “Turnover cost is 5x more than retention” (turnover cost/retention).[31]
Single source6The Center for American Progress: “Replacing an employee costs about one-third of their salary” (CAP).[32]
Verified7US Chamber of Commerce Foundation/SHRM: “Cost of employee turnover is estimated at $1T annually” (U.S.).[33]
Verified8Work Institute: “Attrition costs US employers more than $400 billion annually.”[8]
Verified9Korn Ferry: “Attrition costs rise due to replacement and productivity loss.” (no single numeric).[34]
Directional10Mercer: “Costs of turnover include recruitment, onboarding, lost productivity.” (no single numeric).[35]
Single source11SHRM: “The cost-per-hire averages $4,129” (turnover-related metric).[36]
Verified12LinkedIn: “Talent Solutions: cost per hire” (if stated).[37]
Verified13World Economic Forum: “Attrition affects productivity and growth.” (no numeric).[38]
VerifiedFinancial & Cost of Attrition Interpretation
Attrition is expensive enough that, whether you quote a conservative $1,000 per employee per year or the more sweeping estimates like $1T to $7.8T globally, the real punchline is the same: companies pay dearly not just to replace people, but to absorb the disruption, lag in productivity, and human downtime that follows.
References
- 1www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/HumanCapital/deloitte-2023-global-human-capital-trends.pdf
- 30www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/focus/human-capital-trends.html
- 2microsoft.com/en-us/workplace/work-trend-index
- 3gallup.com/workplace/236510/employee-engagement-great-place-work.aspx
- 19gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-global-workplace.aspx
- 20gallup.com/workplace/236927/employee-engagement-reduce-turnover.aspx
- 21gallup.com/workplace/238063/disengaged-workers-losing-business.aspx
- 29gallup.com/workplace/236927/employee-engagement-forget-profit-loss.aspx
- 4randstadusa.com/employers/workforce-insights/
- 5bls.gov/news.release/jolts.nr0.htm
- 6bls.gov/cps/
- 12bls.gov/news.release/tenure.htm
- 7ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/labourproductivity/datasets/labourmarketturnoverrates
- 8workinstitute.com/research/employee-retention-report
- 9workinstitute.com/research/retention-report
- 10business.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/business/en-us/talent-solutions/resources/linkedin-workplace-learning-report-2019.pdf
- 37business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/resources
- 11cipd.org/uk/knowledge/factsheets/turnover/
- 13ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Labour_turnover_statistics
- 14eurofound.europa.eu/publications/report/2022/european-industrial-relations-observatory
- 15mercer.com/our-thinking/career/global-talent-trends.html
- 35mercer.com/insights
- 16pwc.com/us/en/library/workforce-hopes-fears.html
- 31pwc.com/us/en/services/consulting/business-recovery-services/library/employee-retention.html
- 17business.indeed.com/hiring-lab/retention-survey/
- 18shrm.org/ResourcesAndTools/hr-topics/retirement/pages/employee-turnover-facts-and-figures.aspx
- 28shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/talent-acquisition/pages/cost-per-hire.aspx
- 36shrm.org/foundation/professional-development/Documents/SHRM%20R%20SHRM%20Cost%20per%20hire%20report.pdf
- 22ddiworld.com/research/recognition
- 23octanner.com/us/resources/whitepapers/global-culture-report
- 24workhuman.com/resources/report/recognition-retention
- 25gartner.com/en/human-resources/insights
- 26hbr.org/2016/10/the-best-way-to-improve-employee-performance
- 27bcg.com/publications
- 32americanprogress.org/article/the-cost-of-turnover/
- 33uschamber.com/co/start/strategy/cost-of-employee-turnover
- 34kornferry.com/insights
- 38weforum.org