Job satisfaction and security, pay and
progression, work-life balance and company values make up the total
package of what workers want
ROSELAND, N.J., April 25,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The world of work is
experiencing a transformation driven by the COVID-19 pandemic's
ability to reshape the employment landscape, dominate economic
activity and revolutionize the workforce. This year's "People
at Work 2022: A Global Workforce View" report from ADP
Research Institute (ADPRI) identifies the key emerging and
escalating workforce trends uncovered in a global study of workers,
as employers continue to adjust their approach to manage amid
changing dynamics.
In its annual study, ADPRI's survey of more than 32,000 workers,
including the gig economy, from 17 countries, uncovered both the
remarkable global consistency of employee sentiment on the
transformed workplace, as well as the pandemic's unique impact in
local markets. In a period of sustained disruption and uncertainty,
the findings expose the seismic shift in employee expectations of
the workplace as compared to pre-pandemic. The study reveals a new
prioritization among employees that extends beyond salary and a few
perks to a complete package that aligns with their personal values,
redefines what job security means, prioritizes their well-being and
encourages flexibility. These findings, among a long and varied
list of needs and expectations, can help to guide employers in
their approach to deliver on what the workforce deems most
important.
"The pandemic signaled a paradigm shift as today's workers
re-evaluate the presence of work in their lives, and the stakes
have never been higher for employers," said Nela Richardson, chief economist, ADP. "Our
research highlights the extent to which employees' views of work
changed, now prioritizing a wider and deeper range of factors that
are more personal in nature. With recruitment and retention among
the most business-critical issues, these revelations offer both a
challenge and an opportunity for employers as they seek to keep
workers engaged and fulfilled."
People at Work 2022: A Global Workforce View
The following are key takeaways from the report:
Workers want change: re-evaluating importance of job security
and business ethics. COVID-19 triggered a re-evaluation of
what job security means to workers, with many wanting more from
their employers. Workers are evaluating personal wellbeing and life
outside work more than ever before. They are seeking greater remote
work options, increasingly interested in a company's ethics and
values – and are ready to go elsewhere if they don't align with
their own.
- Seven in 10 workers (71%) say they have considered a major
career move this year.
- Feelings toward flexibility and work-life balance are not
limited to parents (74%) who would like to arrange working hours to
be more flexible, followed closely by 68% of
non-parents.
- Pay equity is important: three quarters (76%) would consider
looking for a new job if they discovered their company had an
unfair gender pay gap or no diversity and inclusion policy.
Job satisfaction and outlook: employees have high
expectations. Optimism for the outlook of the workplace,
though slightly below pre-pandemic levels, is robust with workers
upbeat on their thoughts toward work.
- Nine in 10 (90%) workers are satisfied in their current
employment, though they could be happier: nearly half of workers
(41%) say they are only "somewhat satisfied".
- Hopes are high for pay raises, with more than six in 10 workers
(61%) anticipating a pay raise in the next 12 months, and more than
four in 10 (43%) expect a promotion; these feelings of better pay
and progression feed into how positive they feel about the future.
- When asked to describe their levels of optimism, almost nine in
10 (88%) put themselves in the optimistic category, with responses
similar across age groups and genders, North America being the only region where
workers feel more optimistic today (85%) than prior to the pandemic
(79%), with more flexible changes in the workplace a likely driver
of improved sentiment.
- Looking ahead, workers want a durable career: nearly a quarter
of workers (23%) disclosed they are actively trying to change their
job and/or move to a "future proof" industry where skills are in
higher demand long-term, where they see the best career development
prospects and strongest earning potential.
Pay and benefits: salary is a priority, but it's not all that
matters. Pay is still a top priority for workers, although
half of workers would trade a pay cut for work-life balance. This
importance placed on pay and desired flexibility, many believe,
could help to mitigate the amount of unpaid overtime workers
believe they are contributing without compensation.
- When asked what's most important in a job, (63%) of workers
placed salary at number one.
- In fact, three quarters (76%) say they are prepared to ask for
a salary increase if they feel it is deserved, likely driven by a
number of workers who believe they are giving away the equivalent
of more than a working day (8.5 hours) of unpaid overtime each
week.
Mental health: stress is increasing and work is
suffering. While workers are surprisingly upbeat surrounding
job satisfaction and outlook for the next five years, stress at
work has reached critical levels, exasperated by a trend that was
already in motion prior to the pandemic. The impact on workers
professionally, as well as personally, is profound and employers
have taken notice by striving to find ways to support their
workforce.
- Nearly seven in 10 (67%) workers say they experience stress at
work at least once a week, up from 62% pre-pandemic. In fact, one
in seven (15%) feel stressed every day.
- Key sources of stress include length of the working day (28%),
problems with technology (26%) and concerns over job security
(25%).
- This stress is boiling over into their job performance, as a
staggering 53% believe their work is suffering because of poor
mental health.
- Thankfully, as employers take initiative to support their
workforce, seven in 10 workers (70%) admit they feel supported by
their managers when it comes to mental health at work, with three
quarters (75%) who say they feel supported by their
colleagues.
Remote work and living arrangements: people poised to make a
move. Remote and hybrid work are now an established
feature of the working world, blurring the distinction between home
and the workplace. This shift from the traditional 9-to-5
office-based model cannot be undone and has long-term implications
for the jobs market. As companies – and employees – re-evaluate
their approach to the workforce, it is clear that having a flexible
approach is key, as there are advantages and drawbacks to both
exclusively, whether fully remote or fully in office.
- Two thirds (64%) of the workforce would consider looking for a
new job if they were required to return to the office full time. In
fact, contrary to assumptions, younger people (18-24-year-olds) are
the most reluctant (71%) to return to the workplace full-time.
- If it came to it, employees are prepared to make compromises if
it meant more flexibility or a hybrid approach to work location
with more than half (52%) willing to accept a pay cut – as much as
11% – to guarantee this arrangement.
- Two-tiers of working sentiment are emerging. Those working from
home are more inclined to say they are optimistic (89%) about the
next five years compared to their peers (77%) reporting to an
office, are more satisfied with employment compared to those
on-premise (90% versus 82%), and almost half (46%) believe working
from home has made it easier to be a working parent, though a
quarter (25%) say it has made it harder. Yet, there is a balance,
as those working from home are more likely to feel their work is
suffering due to poor mental health compared to their colleagues in
the workplace (55% versus 36%). Those working from home are also
more prone to working longer hours, as much as an extra 8.7 hours
per week.
Two years post-pandemic, workers are thinking harder than ever
before about what they really want out of work and life and are
reassessing, and in some cases, inverting ideas around what they
are worth, what job security means and what they want from their
employers. For additional findings and deeper context to the worker
perspective in ADP Research Institute's report, "People at Work
2022: A Global Workforce View," visit ADPRI.org.
About the ADP Research
Institute
The ADP Research Institute delivers data-driven discoveries
about the world of work and derives reliable economic indicators
from these insights. We offer these findings as a unique
contribution to making the world of work better and more productive
by delivering actionable insights to the economy at large.
About ADP (NASDAQ: ADP)
Designing better ways to work through cutting-edge products,
premium services and exceptional experiences that enable people to
reach their full potential. HR, Talent, Time Management,
Benefits and Payroll. Informed by data and designed for
people. Learn more at ADP.com
ADP, the ADP logo, and Always Designing for People, are
trademarks of ADP, Inc. All other marks are the property of
their respective owners.
Copyright © 2022 ADP, Inc. All rights reserved.
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SOURCE ADP, Inc.