Gartner HR Survey Shows Active Job Searching Has Declined in
Location, Respect and Compensation Are the Most Important Strategies for Organizations to Attract Talent.
In a sign that organizations are starting to respond to workers' needs, 17% of Australian employees were actively seeking a new job in the second quarter of 2022, down slightly from 18% in 1Q22, according to a survey by
The Gartner survey of 855 employees, conducted between April and
Despite rising inflation and the possibility of a recession, employees are quietly optimistic about their future, with confidence in job availability increasing from 54% in the first quarter to 56%.
For the second consecutive quarter, location was cited as the top reason to switch jobs. The top three drivers of attrition stayed the same compared to 1Q22 (see Table 1).
Table 1: Top 10 Drivers of Employee Attraction and Attrition,
Drivers of Attraction (change in rank)
Drivers of Attrition (change in rank)
1. Location (nil)
1. Manager quality (nil)
2. Respect (+1)
2. Respect (nil)
3. Compensation (-1)
3. People management (nil)
4. Work-Life Balance (nil)
4. Compensation (nil)
5. Vacation (+3)
5. Work-Life Balance (nil)
6. Ethics (-1)
6. Coworker quality (+1)
7. Coworker Quality (nil)
7. Location (-1)
8. Job Interest Alignment (-2)
8. Growth rate (+5)
9. Manager Quality (nil)
9. Recognition (nil)
10. Recognition (+1)
10. Stability (+5)
Source:
'Employees have just spent the past two and a half years working hard to support their organizations through challenging times,' said McEwan. 'As we start getting used to the new world of work, workers have created their own personal boundaries and employers are increasingly respecting that.'
Organizations are embracing the human deal
Respect has remained in the top three reasons for both leaving an employer and joining a new one.
Organizations are finally listening to their employees and are paying more attention to the overall well-being of their staff, according to McEwan.
'Being treated like a person is one of the most important priorities for Australian employees,' said McEwan. 'We're now seeing organizations providing more flexibility, stability, and importantly, more manageable workloads,' said McEwan.
Employers warned not to waste progress
According to McEwan, employers will face two key challenges in the next 12 months: maintaining engagement among a fatigued workforce and managing the impact of potential economy-led redundancies.
The data collected by Gartner in 2Q22 found the proportion of employees showing high discretionary effort - willingness to go above and beyond at work - dropped from 17% in 1Q22 to 15% this quarter.
'Organizations should be proud of the work they've done, particularly when it comes to the flexibility they've given to their employees. However, given the possibility of a recession and potential redundancies or cuts, taking a step back would be a mistake,' said McEwan.
Organizations faced with making difficult decisions about their staff should take a human-centric approach to manage productivity or downsizing requirements, according to Gartner.
'Consider alternative options for exhausted staff, such as offering a pay cut to take a break from work or promote job-sharing where appropriate. Think about your staff in a holistic manner and make sure they rest and recharge when needed,' said McEwan.
To compare their HR function's performance and prioritize future investments, HR executives can download the complimentary Gartner report 2022 HR Budget and Efficiency Benchmarks.
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