According to employer brand data, HR professionals are 21.12% more likely to want to leave their current role than the general workforce. And this is driven disproportionately by women.

• 50.7% of women in HR want to move roles by 2026
• 35.4% of men in HR want the same

That’s a significant gender gap—and it matters for both employer branding and retention.

The reasons women gave are telling. Beyond money, women in HR cited:

• Poor leadership
• Limited growth opportunities
• Feeling underappreciated

This points to cultural and structural issues, not just compensation.

Men, on the other hand, gave slightly different reasons:

• Changing industry altogether
• Seeking higher purpose
• Money
• Poor leadership

The mix here suggests that men are more likely to leave HR for entirely new career paths, while women are frustrated with barriers inside the function.

Check out the following:

• The Equity4Women Toolkit is available here which covers contracts, pay equity, parental rights, workplace discrimination, and mental/physical wellbeing
• Women’s Workplace Wellness Platform: Offers accredited training and a curated knowledge base for SME employers to embed women’s health and wellbeing practices into their teams, with a focus on intersectional challenges.
• LeanIn: A women's networking organisation