Many things have become easier for job seekers – companies have to recruit staff given the shortage of skilled labour. 61 percent see themselves in a strong negotiating position with potential employers. Two-thirds would also turn down a very attractive job.
The Austrian labor market is on the move. 73 percent of those surveyed received “several job openings per year,” as highlighted by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), StepStone and The Network, citing a survey. Most are ready to change. 80 percent would give up their job for a more interesting offer. About a third are even “actively looking for a new professional challenge”.
Stable work-life balance and good salary
A stable work-life balance and a good salary would be the main decision criteria for a new job. “The shortage of labor and skilled workers is getting worse and worse,” emphasizes Lukas Haider, boss of BCG Austria. To win the race for the best talent, companies should “know well the needs of new employees and tailor the hiring process accordingly”.
Full-time yes, but preferably with a home office
Most respondents in Austria want to work full-time – two-thirds favored a five-day work week. 26 percent would prefer to work part-time – between three and four days a week; Globally, only 14 percent said they would like to work part-time. A large majority of 72 percent find hybrid working – for example two days a week in the home office and three days on location – ideal.
“Flexibility with regard to time and place of work is important for Austrian talents, more than the global average,” emphasizes Nikolai Dürhammer, boss of StepStone Austria. Offering flexible working time models and a home office are “lucrative assets for companies to score points with applicants”. But only 5 percent can envision exclusively working remotely in this country – internationally 11 percent think this is desirable.
“Work to Live”
“Most workers: inside they no longer want to live to work. They want to work to live,” says Dürhammer, outlining the respondents’ ideas about the ideal workplace. Above all, two-thirds wanted “a permanent job with a good work-life balance”.
Upskilling also makes jobs attractive
In second place is the opportunity for professional development in a good company. This is followed by work on exciting products, topics and technologies. According to the survey, 15 percent want to continue their studies in different professions. 23 percent dream of starting their own company. After all, the decisive criterion when choosing for or against a certain vacancy is the salary.
Almost a third in this country is interested in a part-time job in addition to a permanent job, while in the other countries an average of only 16 percent would like to do so.
“Matching needs with talents”
For the “What Job Seekers Wish Employers Knew” recruitment report, 90,000 professionals from 160 countries were interviewed in August and September last year, including 1,000 from Austria. The Network is a global association of leading online job boards in 130 countries, co-founded by StepStone.
Against the background of the growing shortage of skilled workers, according to BCG, it is “essential for companies to tailor the recruitment process and job offer to the needs of talented people in order to win the tug-of-war for the best minds”.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
