What matters most to the workforce of today? Is it all about the paycheck, the company’s values, or striking the perfect work-life balance?
According to Randstad’s Workmonitor survey, which polled 26,000 workers across 35 markets in Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Americas, work-life balance has edged out pay as the top priority for employees — 83% versus 82%, a reversal of last year’s survey results.
EMERGING WORKFORCE CONCERNS
Work-life balance is an increasingly important concept that’s all about keeping one’s career and personal life in harmony, so neither one throws one off balance.
This year’s Workmonitor report from the Dutch workforce optimization company found that employees today are primarily concerned with personalization, a sense of community, and acquiring future-ready skills in their workplace.
The social atmosphere is also critical to the current workforce: 44% say they have quit a job because they deemed their workplace toxic, a more than 10% jump from the 33% of workers quitting last year.
TRUST AND FLEXIBILITY IN THE WORKPLACE
Today’s workforce places a huge emphasis on values, and almost a third (29%) of employees have left their jobs due to disagreements with their leadership’s viewpoints. Also, nearly half (48%) of potential new hires demand transparency and refuse to accept positions unless the company aligns with their social and environmental values.
Remote opportunities are a must for some. It’s tricky to create work-life balance without flexibility, and 40% of Gen Zs say they’ve been granted more flexibility in terms of where they work compared to 17% of Baby Boomers.
Trust between employers, managers, and talent is still somewhat shaky, as about a third (30%) of employees don’t believe their managers have their best interests at heart.
HYBRID ROLES EXPLODE BY 300%
When it comes to return-to-office, about a quarter of workers (26%) would happily do so three days a week if given the choice. All-in-all, fully remote roles have declined by around 50% and hybrid roles are more popular than ever, increasing by 300%.
Employees have increasingly demanded new inter-organizational growth opportunities to sharpen their skills, with 29% stating they would quit if those were not provided last year, climbing to 41% this year. These opportunities are crucial for many’s peace of mind, especially as the older workforce retires and the AI and technology sectors continue to rapidly evolve.
How should employers interpret this report? “For today’s talent, the significance of work is complex and needs to be personalized,” says Randstad CEO Sander van ‘t Noordende. “They are setting the terms on what truly matters to them as individuals and within their communities. Successful businesses are those that will adapt and adjust to this new talent baseline. The solution lies in empowering our key resource: people.”
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