The reason that people change their jobs is not cut and dried, but varies according to geography and generation.
This is according to a global study from ManpowerGroup Solutions in a new paper, “Below the Surface: Emerging Global Motivators and Job Search Preferences”.In addition to highlighting the differences and similarities between job seekers around the world, the paper also provides “7 Keys to Attracting and Retaining Talent Globally”.
“As the talent shortage grows, making it more difficult to find candidates with the right skills, businesses should understand exactly what job seekers look for,” says Kate Donovan, senior vice-president of ManpowerGroup Solutions and Global RPO president. “People with in-demand skills are making different career choices today based on lifestyle preferences and beliefs, which complicates traditional recruitment models and forces companies to think differently about their recruitment and workforce management strategies. The insights found in this survey can help companies tailor their strategies to better attract and retain top talent.”
ManpowerGroup Solutions surveyed nearly 4 500 job seekers in key global markets to identify trends and market-based differences around job search practices and motivators for change. The results can help employers find better ways to attract and retain the world’s top talent. While there are a number of universal motivators among candidates around the world, the survey results identified some unique differences between markets and generations.
“A person’s job role is an important differentiator in developed markets – as high as 76% in the UK – but in markets like Mexico and China, it’s as low as 31%,” said Jim McCoy, vice-president of ManpowerGroup Solutions and RPO practice lead. “So what’s important for candidates in countries like Mexico and China? It still comes down to compensation – 73% and 81%, respectively, compared to just 27%in the UK.”
The regional differences do not end there. Job seekers in China rank company reputation highly; Mexico shows very little preference towards industry. Both use social media to research their potential workplaces much more so than developed markets.
Several generational differences were revealed in the study, including Gen Y’s desire for better onboarding, upward mobility and the need for employers to value corporate social responsibility.
The report findings point to the importance of several emerging best practices among employers.
“From bold new strategies that involve collaboration within industries, to old-fashioned boots-on-the ground tactics, employers need to customise their outreach to attract and retain the best talent across the globe,” McCoy says.