When it comes to their next job, workers prioritise work-life balance over salary, and they also value training in tech and artificial intelligence (AI), according to a new report released on Wednesday by Randstad, the largest employment agency in the world.

According to the annual poll, 57% of employees would not accept a job that would interfere with their ability to maintain a work-life balance, even if it allowed them to work from home. Additionally, 55% of workers would decline if the position did not offer a large wage increase.

Overall, when existing duties are taken into account, workers’ lists of priorities value work-life balance as highly as compensation, with both showing up in 93% of the lists.

The deployment of AI is forcing workers to reskill since it has eliminated certain employment and jeopardised others. Workers in industrial sectors that have been more severely impacted by automation value in-work training more than other respondents, with nearly three quarters stating that they value it, even for potential roles. According to CEO Sander vant Noordende, “if your job would by and large disappear, because AI is taking over 80% of it, then employee and employer need to work on where there is still demand for skills,” he said in an interview.

Jobs where “people working with people” are involved, such those in public transport, hospitality, or healthcare, he said will still be in demand. According to him, there would be a need for nurses in some countries due to an ageing population.

According to the poll, which includes 27,000 workers from the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, 39% of participants are content in their current employment and don’t wish to advance in their professions.

“Talent is rethinking what ambition means, putting work-life balance, flexibility, equity and skilling at the heart of career decisions,” van’t Noordende said in the report.

Even though 37% of respondents said they would think about leaving if they were asked to work longer hours at the office, some of them are hesitant to change jobs due to the current state of the economy.

“You have to listen, and you have to navigate as a company, because you can’t afford to lose a third of your people,” van’t Noordende stated.

40% of the younger “Gen Z” generation feels their employer misunderstands them, despite the fact that 54% of respondents said their employer’s position and actions on social and political issues are significant.

(Adapted from USNews.com)  

Categories: Economy & Finance, Entrepreneurship, HR & Organization, Strategy, Sustainability