Asked if they’d rather be their own boss, half of the New Zealand workers responding to recent Australasian survey said “yes”.
Evidence of entrepreneurial spirit was strongest amongst 15-19-year olds (64 percent of whom aimed to run their own business), and weakest in those over 55 (35 percent). That could well be because the younger group are more savvy about the work opportunities offered by new technology, suggests Kelly Services, the international recruitment company that carried out the survey.
After questioning some 3000 workers in four countries, it found Kiwis to be the keenest on self employment – ahead of Malaysians (48 percent), Singaporeans (42 percent) and Aussies (40 percent).
The relative lack of attractive corporate career ladders to be found in this country could be another factor in the New Zealanders’ stronger sense of self-reliance, suggests Craig Atkinson, local managing director for Kelly Services. Which might also help explain why more South Islanders see self employment as goal than their northern counterparts.
The survey also found that the workforce doesn’t necessarily crave job security. Even if offered secure, attractive job, 71 percent of New Zealand respondents said they wouldn’t commit to it for more than five years.
