Career stagnation pushing one-third of employees to job hunt, ADP warns

A lack of career growth opportunities remains the biggest obstacle preventing employees from advancing in their careers, according to the sixth chapter of ADP’s People at Work 2025 report series.

Drawing insights from nearly 38,000 employees across 34 markets, the report revealed that almost one in five employees (19%) cite limited opportunities as their main career barrier. This is followed by a lack of desire to progress (13%) and limited time (12%). Meanwhile, only 5% of respondents cite fear or a lack of education as key obstacles, suggesting that motivation and visibility matter more than skills gaps when it comes to career progression.

In Singapore, 12% of employees identified the lack of support—such as access to mentors or career champions—as the most significant barrier to advancement. This finding sets Singapore apart as the only country where insufficient support ranks as the top obstacle, while across the Asia-Pacific region, the leading barrier remains a lack of opportunity (16%).

Jessica Zhang, Senior Vice-President of ADP Asia-Pacific, said, “In countries like Singapore, career growth often depends on having a committed career champion who can unlock opportunities and provide valuable guidance. Even when leadership roles, new responsibilities, or upskilling options are available, highly engaged employees may lose momentum without the right support. To bridge this gap, employers should cultivate a strong culture of mentorship, turning career aspirations into visible and actionable opportunities.”

The report also highlighted differences across age groups and job levels. More than 20% of employees aged 40 and above said the lack of opportunity is their biggest barrier, compared to just 14% of those aged 26 and below.

Perceptions of limited opportunity also increase down the hierarchy—from 16%among executives and senior managers to 18% among middle managers, and 20% among individual contributors.

Among employees who identify as racial or ethnic minorities in their respective markets, 16% cite a lack of opportunity as a main barrier, slightly lower than the 20% of non-minority employees who share the same view.

READ MORE: From AI to employee wellbeing: ADP reveals HR priorities for 2025

The report warned that career stagnation is closely linked to job-hunting behaviour. Over a third (34%) of employees who perceive few growth opportunities at work are actively seeking or interviewing for new roles.

Furthermore, employees who believe they need to change employers to progress are 2.6 times less likely to consider themselves highly productive. Globally, 15% of employees feel that switching employers is essential to career progression, a sentiment echoed by 13% of employees in Singapore.

For employees who see a future with their current employer, the top reasons globally are opportunities for career advancement (45%), access to professional training and skills development (36%), and flexibility in scheduling (34%).

Nela Richardson, Chief Economist at ADP, concluded, “The workplace impact of limited career visibility isn’t just employee disengagement—it’s lost productivity, diminished innovation, and higher turnover. Organisations that design clear, equitable career paths don’t just retain talent—they also increase their ability to unlock the full potential of their employees.”