As the deverellsmith group released the 2025 version of the Salary Guide and Trends report, our expert advisors at Hintel shared their knowledge on how to retain talent outside of remuneration.
“The great irony of our industry today is that while 41% of property professionals cite salary as their top priority, the companies with the lowest turnover aren’t necessarily the highest payers—they’re the ones who understand that engagement goes far deeper than the payslip.” — Pete Sheppard, Managing Director, Hintel
With nearly 37% of UK employees considering a career change in 2025, the property sector faces a retention challenge that salary increases alone cannot solve. As professionals increasingly prioritise multiple factors in their career decisions, businesses must reconsider what truly keeps top talent engaged, productive, and loyal.
The great reshuffling: Understanding the 2025 talent landscape
A growing number of UK employees are gearing up for a career shake-up in 2025, according to research from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC). Nearly 37% of workers are considering a change—up from 29% in 2023—highlighting an increasing demand for new opportunities, skills, and work environments.
Leading this career shift are younger professionals, particularly those aged 25-34, with a survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) revealing that over 45% are eager to explore new industries or roles.
This trend isn’t isolated to the UK. Recent Gallup data reveals that more Americans are considering a job change than at any point in the last 10 years. U.S. employees feel increasingly frustrated and detached from their work—something Gallup calls the “Great Detachment.” Even more concerning for employers, a PwC survey conducted among over 56,000 workers in 50 countries shows that 28% of respondents are likely to change companies within the next 12 months.
“We’re witnessing a fundamental shift in how employees view their relationship with employers. The data clearly shows that professionals are increasingly willing to vote with their feet when their broader needs aren’t being met, regardless of competitive pay,” says Pete Sheppard, Managing Director at Hintel. “The property sector is particularly vulnerable to this trend given the transferable skills many professionals possess.”
The compensation paradox
Our own research at deverellsmith indicates that 41% of property professionals cite higher salary as their top priority in current or future roles. This represents the largest segment of respondents, narrowly edging out the 39% who prioritise work-life balance (interestingly down from 54% in 2024).
Yet despite salary being the top stated priority, data tells a more complex story. While the average pay rise in 2024 was 7%, companies offering above-market compensation still experience significant turnover when other workplace elements are neglected.
What really drives retention?
When examining what makes employees stay at their current companies, several factors consistently emerge as equally or more important than base compensation:
1. Flexibility and work-life balance
The Flex Index Q4 2024 Report shows that 43% of U.S. firms now have a structured hybrid model—more than double the 20% reported in 2023. This rapid adoption reflects employee demand, with 75% of employees indicating they want greater flexibility in how and where they work.
Most tellingly, only 9% of employees with flexible work options plan to leave within the next 12 months, compared to 50% of those without such options in 2024. This dramatic difference suggests flexibility now rivals compensation as a retention tool.
“The conversation about flexibility has evolved significantly in the past year,” explains Ella Beese, Head of People and Culture. “It’s no longer about simply allowing remote work, but rather creating personalised approaches to flexibility that recognise individual needs. Our most successful clients have moved beyond one-size-fits-all policies to truly understand what flexibility means to different segments of their workforce.”
2. Career development opportunities
Our research shows that 40% of property professionals list “a new role or opportunity” as their primary career goal for 2025, while 22% aim for advancement to leadership roles, and 14% seek new skills or certifications. Combined, these development-focused goals account for 76% of respondents’ primary ambitions.
Organisations that create clear growth pathways and invest in employee development can satisfy these aspirations without necessarily offering the highest base salaries in the market.
3. Management quality and workplace culture
Repeatedly, studies show that “people don’t leave companies; they leave managers.” Poor management relationships consistently rank among the top reasons for voluntary departures, regardless of compensation level.
The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) found that 28% of UK workers who left their jobs due to negative workplace culture attributed their departure to a negative relationship with their manager
Conversely, companies that invest in management training, adopt positive workplace cultures, and prioritise employee wellbeing experience significantly lower turnover and increase productivity rates — even when offering average market compensation. According to a study conducted by the Association for Talent Development, companies that invest in comprehensive training programs experience 218% higher income per employee than those that don’t prioritise training.
The skills evolution challenge
The property sector faces a dual skills challenge that further complicates the retention picture:
- AI and technology growth means technical skills are increasingly required in what are becoming known as “new-collar jobs”
- Simultaneously, there’s a growing premium on soft, human-led skills required to drive change and transformation
Companies that help employees navigate this skills evolution through training, mentorship, and growth opportunities create bonds that transcend purely financial relationships.
“The property sector is facing unprecedented technological disruption,” notes Georgia Zambakides, Executive Director. “Organisations that actively invest in helping their teams navigate this changing landscape—developing both technical competencies and critical soft skills—are seeing dramatically improved loyalty. Employees increasingly value employers who prepare them for the future, not just those who pay well for current skills.”
Why an Employee Value Proposition needs to be the Total Value Proposition
What emerges from this data is the concept of a “Total Value Proposition” that extends well beyond the salary figure. While competitive compensation remains necessary, it functions as just one element in a comprehensive retention strategy that must include:
- Meaningful flexibility that acknowledges individual work-style preferences
- Clear career development pathways with visible progression opportunities
- Quality management that supports rather than hinders employee success
- A positive workplace culture that fosters belonging and purpose
- Benefits that address holistic employee wellbeing
- Skills development that prepares employees for evolving industry demands
Why the employee experience is your biggest strategic investment
For property businesses facing the prospect of 37% of the workforce considering career changes in 2025, the message is clear: salary increases alone won’t solve the retention challenge.
The most successful organisations will be those that strategically invest across the entire employee experience—from recruitment processes that set accurate expectations to management practices that build engagement, development opportunities that create growth, and cultures that provide meaning beyond the paycheck.
“What we’re consistently finding,” says Pete Sheppard, “is that firms achieving the highest retention rates aren’t necessarily the highest payers. They’re the ones taking a holistic view of the employment relationship—understanding that while competitive compensation opens the door, it’s the total experience that makes people stay. In 2025’s competitive talent landscape, that distinction will separate the winners from those constantly refilling their talent pipeline.”
In a market where talent is increasingly willing to move, the winners won’t simply be those who pay the most, but those who create environments where employees feel valued, supported, and positioned for future success.
