Almost everyone is looking to switch jobs. But only if employers meet this pay demand...

For professionals contemplating a job switch this year, a single-digit salary hike may not be enough to make the move worthwhile.

According to jobs and talents platform, foundit’s Appraisal Survey 2026, 70% of professionals expect a salary increase of 21% or more from a new employer, with 27% seeking a 21–30% jump.

The gap is particularly stark at the higher end. One in five professionals expects a salary bump of more than 40% when switching jobs, while another 23% are looking for a 31–40% increase.

At the other end, just 7% of respondents said they would consider moving for a hike of less than 10%—the range in which most employees' appraisal increases actually landed this year.

The survey, which gathered responses from more than 2,500 professionals across sectors and locations in India in June 2026, suggests that salary expectations could become a key factor shaping job mobility in the months ahead.

For employers, the challenge may be not just retaining employees through annual increments but also managing expectations around the premium candidates seek when they move.

Why Are Employees Looking to Switch?

Better pay and stronger career growth emerge as nearly equal drivers of job switching, according to the survey found.

Better pay available elsewhere is the top single reason cited by 23% of professionals, while another 17% say they would consider switching if their increment fell short of expectations. Taken together, compensation-related factors account for nearly 40% of respondents.

Career progression is almost as significant. One in five professionals (20%) points to the lack of a promotion or a visible growth path, while 16% say they are looking for greater opportunities to learn and grow. Combined, growth and learning-related reasons account for nearly 37% of responses.

Appraisal Delays May Be Fuelling Job Searches

For many professionals, the wait for an appraisal may be turning into a wait-and-watch moment for their next career move.

According to the survey, more than one in four (28%) of professionals had not received their appraisal as of June, while more than half of those who had been appraised received an increment of less than 10%.

The delayed appraisal cycle comes at a time when employees are already showing a strong appetite to test the job market. As many as 96% of respondents said they were open to switching jobs, with 52% actively looking for opportunities. Just 4% said they planned to stay put in their current organisation.

But the longer employees wait, the greater the risk that they begin comparing their current compensation with what they could command elsewhere.

As Tarun Sinha, CEO, foundit, puts it, “The market prices talent every day. When appraisals run late, the gap between what someone earns and what they could earn has more time to widen, and people notice.”

Closing an appraisal on schedule is a far smaller undertaking than replacing people who leave because of a delayed salary hike.

But Sinha points to another finding that stood out to him: “The second finding that struck me was how many said their manager did little for them through the appraisal process. The number at the end of an appraisal matter. So does knowing someone made a case for you. That part, the speaking up, costs an organisation nothing.”