Number of promotions halved during Covid

Third of survey respondents are actively looking for a new job, with experts highlighting that training opportunities are key to retaining talent

The number of promotions received by British workers has halved during the pandemic, a survey has found, leading to an increase in the number of people looking for a new job.

A poll of 2,040 professionals, conducted by HowNow, found that the number of promotions in the last 12 months was 48 per cent lower than the previous year.

Just a quarter of those polled (24 per cent) said they had seen promotions in their team over the last year, compared to 72 per cent the year before, with workers over the age of 55 the least likely to be promoted.

Those aged between 35 and 44 were most likely to receive a promotion (35 per cent), with just 14 per cent going to the over-55s.

The same survey also found that more than half of those polled (52 per cent) had received no training since the pandemic started, with another quarter (23 per cent) reporting a significant decrease in the training received. According to the research, the average company spent 67 per cent less on training in the last 12 months compared to the previous year.

A third (35 per cent) of those polled were actively looking for a new job, with a lack of growth in their current role cited as the main reason employees were looking to move on in 42 per cent of cases.