Workers’ demands for more flexibility and security, bolstered by the pandemic and a tight job market, will only increase as the global economy reopens and some companies seek to get their workers back into the office, says a report from payroll provider ADP.
The report, "People at Work 2022: A Global Workforce View", is based on a poll of 33,000 people around the world. The survey found that two-thirds of workers would consider looking for a new job if they were unnecessarily forced to return to the office full-time. Workers who think their sector is safe fell to 25% from 36% in a similar survey in 2021. The proportion of those actively looking to change jobs rose from 15% to 23%, with almost a third of them considering starting a job search, compared to 24% in 2021.
Half of workers said they were only partially or not at all satisfied with their current job, and ADP said issues emerging during the pandemic — around hours and location, unpaid work time and stress — prompted employees to do so to negotiate the terms of their current job or to plan an exit.
“The pandemic has prompted a shift in priorities, with workers willing to quit the job if employers fail to meet their standards on multiple fronts.‘ the study found. “The pandemic continues. Pandemic-related workplace stress is rising, not falling” said ADP chief economist Nela Richardson.
