Despite economic uncertainty and high inflation rates, a recently released survey by a business consulting firm Robert Half suggests as many as half of Canadians plan to change their jobs in the coming year.
According to Robert Half's biannual Job Optimism Survey, 50 per cent of the 1,100 professionals included in the survey stated that they are currently looking for a new job or have plans to look for a new role in 2023. This represents a 31 per cent increase compared to six months ago.
When it comes to who most likely will change their jobs, the survey suggested more than half of Gen Z and Millennial workers planned to find something else. The most likely industry to be impacted, according to the research, is the tech sector, with 57 per cent of professionals saying they'd be looking.
Robert Half said 61 per cent employees with two to four years of experience with the same company and 55 per cent of working parents responded that they planned to change jobs next year.
“Many Canadian workers continue to have confidence in the job market despite news of layoffs and a slowdown in hiring,” David King, senior managing director at Robert Half, said in a news release Wednesday.
The main reason and big motivator for Canadians hunting for new jobs was the money, suggesting economic uncertainty and inflation are exactly why workers are looking elsewhere
According to the survey, 62 per cent of respondents said they want to change their job in order to get a higher salary, while 39 per cent stated they want better benefits and perks in their new job.
Better advancement and opportunity was the reason for 30 per cent to leave their current jobs, and 27 per cent want more flexibility to decide when and where they work.
The biggest turn-offs that cause job seekers to lose interest in a role were unclear or unreasonable job responsibilities (55 per cent), poor communication from the hiring manager (46 per cent) and not being aligned with the company culture or values (35 per cent).
“While we don’t know what the future holds as the labour market continues to evolve, prioritizing employee well-being, engagement and recognition will always be critical to attracting and retaining valued talent,” added King.
The survey says interest in contract work increased, with 29 per cent of survived professionals considering quitting their job to pursue a full-time contracting job. One in 10 professionals said they would go back to their previous employer if a salary equal to or higher than their current income is offered.
Robert Half says it surveyed more than 1,100 workers aged 18 or older in finance, technology, marketing and creative, legal, administrative and customer support, human resources and other companies. Respondents were surveyed online between Oct. 17 and Nov. 7.
Reporting for this story was paid for through The Afghan Journalists in Residence Project funded by Meta.
