Employees value job stability over money: survey
Employment priorities have changed significantly as a result of the global financial crisis, with employees now valuing job stability over money, a new survey reveals.
The results of the Onetest 2009 Employee Opinion Survey of 2,500 Australians revealed that 67 percent of the Australian workforce have felt the effects of the financial crisis on their careers, with 22 percent nominating job stability as the most important factor when searching for an employer, compared with money as the most important factor in 2008.
Onetest CEO Steven Dahl said the country’s labour market has done a “complete 180 degree turn” in the past year.
“We’ve gone from an applicant shortage to sheer market saturation as rising unemployment caused by the GFC has led to an influx of job seekers vying for fewer positions,” he said.
“As a result, respondents indicated the most important factor when searching for an employer was job stability…the value placed on salary and wages was noticeably down in 2009,” he added.
The survey also found that 55 percent of employees feel that they now have less power to ask for what they want from their employers, while the most important factors affecting job satisfaction included career progression (26 percent) and work/life balance (25 percent).
Onetest head of psychology Cherie Curtis said during times of economic uncertainty and low job security, it is common for employees to experience reduced levels of engagement with their employers.
“Feeling disposable leads to lower levels of satisfaction, engagement and productivity so for employers to come out on top after the downturn, they need to treat employees as if it’s still a jobseeker’s market,” she said.
Got something to say? Join the small business forum here at DynamicBusiness.com.au.
In a climate of very little stability out there, I’d encourage others to look for stability in the only thing they can control- themselves. Since we’re also talking about being more creative during this economic slump, why not think outside the box of looking to work for another regular job in the first place?
I’m rather amazed that there are plenty of skill sets that are for whatever reason not “conventional” enough to be taught in schools, but the mastery of which would lead to more autonomy.
Most of us are trained to be employees- nothing wrong with that, but I’m convinced that thinking that way is a kind of limitation that keeps many from learning skills that would allow them to carve out there own path to income.
One of them is as close as the computer in front of a job seeker.
For the first time in history, we are 3 feet in front of the world, yet few learn how to use it in a way to render 1) value to others and 2)income for themselves.
While there are many hyped-up websites out there promising the world and delivering little (ask me how I know), there are also some great exceptions, and this one comes highly recommended.
It’s also helped me build online income and with over a billion people online a and growing, it’s a solution I think more people should consider.
http://leavethejobbehind.com