A global ADP study of 38,000 workers across 34 markets reveals that the lack of career growth opportunities is the leading barrier to advancement, cited by 19% of respondents.
It is followed by a lack of motivation (13%) and limited time (12%).
The findings highlight that motivation and visibility often outweigh skills gaps as key obstacles to career progress.
In India, 17% of employees cite self-motivation as their biggest challenge—the highest globally—while 24% say they need to change employers to advance, the highest in APAC and second globally after Egypt.
Rahul Goyal, Managing Director of ADP India & Southeast Asia, emphasized the need for companies to create motivating work environments and clear career pathways to drive sustainable growth.
Generational and role-based gaps are evident: 20% of employees aged 40+ identify limited opportunities as a barrier, compared to 14% among younger workers.
Career stagnation is a major trigger for attrition—34% of employees lacking growth prospects are actively job hunting.
Employees most loyal to their employers cite career advancement (45%), training (36%), and flexibility (34%) as key reasons—underscoring that visibility and development remain central to workforce retention.
