According to the latest Kelly Global Workforce Index (KGWI), just over 40 percent of its 3500 Kiwi respondents are actively looking for work, even when they are happy in their current role.
Responses from these Kiwis formed part of wider international survey of nearly 170,000 employees worldwide. The survey examines changing attitudes to employment, career progression and job mobility.
Some 43 percent of New Zealand employees saw their skills as being in high demand, while more than half of the respondents (57 percent) also believe that if they did change jobs they would be in good position to negotiate similar or better position.
Kelly MD Debbie Grenfell (pictured) says the majority of employees believe they need to move jobs in order to maintain their career. This is despite the slow economy and continued uncertainty about the prospects of global recovery.
“Almost half of all New Zealand employees (48 percent) believe that in order to develop their skills and advance their career opportunities, it is more important to change employers, rather than remain with their existing employer.”
The survey also highlighted that only 28 percent of workers regard the concept of career for life as relevant in the current workplace.
Although local employers may regard the number as high, the percentage of workers continuously searching for new roles is relatively low in New Zealand, compared to other countries in the global survey.
In Australia, 43 percent of workers are actively looking for new job, even when happy in their existing role, 48 percent in the UK, 56 percent in Germany and 61 percent in China.
In the US and Canada, however, only 36 percent of workers are on the permanent hunt for better opportunities.
For more about international responses to this latest Kelly Services survey see previous item “Ditch and switch for career growth”.
