Are you watching your best employees leave for opportunities abroad? You’re not alone. One in four UK workers plan to quit their jobs in 2025,
Are you watching your best employees leave for opportunities abroad? You’re not alone. One in four UK workers plan to quit their jobs in 2025, and many are looking overseas for better pay and benefits although the “grass is not greener” on the other side
For UK businesses, this is a real problem. Whilst you’re competing with local companies for talent, your staff are also being tempted by employers in countries offering higher salaries, better work-life balance, and attractive relocation packages.
The cost of losing good people is huge. Replacing an employee can cost between 30% and 200% of their salary and that doesn’t include the lost knowledge, disrupted teams, and damaged morale left behind.
But there are practical steps you can take to keep your talent. This guide shows you how.
Understanding why people leave is the first step to stopping them.
Higher salaries overseas
Money matters. British workers moving to Australia can earn up to £10,000 more per year doing the same job, despite similar living costs. Other popular destinations like Qatar, Norway, and the UAE also offer tax advantages and higher wages.
Better benefits packages
Many overseas employers offer benefits that UK companies struggle to match:
Work-Life balance
Some countries offer better working conditions than the UK. Shorter working hours, more holiday days, and flexible working arrangements are attracting UK talent abroad.
Career development
International experience looks good on a CV. Many professionals, especially younger workers, see overseas roles as a way to boost their career prospects and gain valuable global experience.
Quality of life
Australia remains the top destination for British workers seeking jobs abroad, partly due to its climate, lifestyle, and outdoor culture. Similar factors draw UK talent to Spain, Portugal, and New Zealand.
Losing skilled staff to overseas competitors hurts more than you might think.
Financial impact
For jobs paying between £30,000 and £50,000 per year, expect to spend around 20% of the salary to replace someone that’s approximately £8,000 for a £40,000 role. For senior positions, replacement costs can reach 213% of annual salary.
This includes:
Knowledge loss
When experienced staff leave, they take years of knowledge with them. Customer relationships, internal processes, and specialist skills disappear overnight.
Team disruption
One person leaving affects the whole team. Remaining staff often have to cover extra work, leading to stress and potentially more resignations.
Reputation Damage
The UK’s average employee turnover rate is approximately 35%, that’s around one in three workers leaving each year. High turnover can damage your reputation as an employer, making it harder to attract new talent.
Research shows it’s not always about money.
The leading reason employees leave is a toxic or negative work environment (32.4%), followed by poor company leadership (30.3%) and dissatisfaction with their manager (27.7%). Pay ranks sixth at just 20.5%.
Other key reasons include:
You might not be able to match overseas salaries, but you can compete in other ways. Here are practical steps that work.
Create a workplace people don’t want to leave.
What to consider:
Simple change: Have monthly one-to-one meetings with each team member. Ask what’s working well and what could be better. Then act on what they tell you.
Show people they have a future with you.
What to consider:
Simple change: Give each employee a training budget (even £500 per year makes a difference). Let them choose courses that interest them and help their career.
Consider offering flexible working. Approximately 59% of employees say flexible work arrangements are a major reason they stay with an employer.
What to consider:
Simple change: Trial flexible working with one or two team members. If it works, roll it out to everyone who wants it.
People need to feel valued.
What to consider:
Simple change: Start a monthly team meeting where you highlight someone’s good work. Make it genuine and specific about what they did well.
You might not match international salaries, but you need to be competitive locally.
What to consider:
Simple change: Check what competitors pay for similar roles. If you’re below market rate, address it before people start looking elsewhere.
Get creative with benefits that don’t cost much but mean a lot.
What to consider:
Simple change: Ask your team what benefits they’d value most, then prioritise those that suit most people.
Approximately 96% of employees believe empathy is crucial for job retention.
What to do:
Simple change: Spend five minutes each day having a non-work chat with team members. Ask about their weekend, their family, or their interests.
Trust staff to make decisions and manage their own work.
What to consider:
Simple change: For your next project, let team members decide how to approach it rather than dictating every step.
Poor company leadership is the second biggest reason employees leave (approximately 30.3%).
What to consider:
Simple change: Send a weekly email update about what’s happening in the business. Keep it short and informal.
Help people have a life outside work.
What to consider:
Simple change: Set a rule: no emails after 6pm or at weekends unless it’s genuinely urgent.
Employment law around contracts, benefits, and working arrangements can be complicated. New regulations coming in 2026 will add more requirements for employers.
Making changes to employment contracts, updating policies, or introducing new benefits needs to be done properly to protect your business.
Our employment law team can help you:
We understand that keeping good people is vital for your business. Our practical advice helps you make changes that work whilst staying within the law.
Get practical tips and legal support for improving staff retention.
Making changes to employment contracts and benefits? Our team can help you do it properly whilst protecting your business.
Contact Davenport Solicitors today for advice on keeping your talented staff.
Whether you need help updating contracts, creating new policies, or understanding your legal obligations, we’re here to support your business.
Disclaimer
The material contained on this website contains general information only and does not constitute legal or other professional advice and should not be relied upon as such. While every care has been taken in the preparation of the information on this site, readers are advised to seek specific advice in relation to any decision or course of action.
