¾ Staff Would Look for New Job if They Discover Unfair Pay Gaps

Three quarters of staff worldwide would consider looking for a new job if they discovered their company had an unfair gender pay gap or no diversity and inclusion policy, according to a new study.

The report from ADP Research Institute (ADPRI), which identifies the key emerging and escalating workforce trends of more than 32,000 workers from 17 countries, shows that workers want change, and are re-evaluating importance of job security and business ethics. Two years post-pandemic, workers are thinking harder than ever before about what they really want out of work and life and are reassessing, and in some cases, inverting ideas around what they are worth, what job security means and what they want from their employers.

JOB SECURITY

In short, Covid-19 triggered a re-evaluation of what job security means to workers, with many wanting more from their employers. Workers are evaluating personal wellbeing and life outside work more than ever before. They are seeking greater remote work options, increasingly interested in a company’s ethics and values; and are ready to go elsewhere if they don’t align with their own.

According to the report, seven in 10 workers (71%) say they have considered a major career move this year. Pay equity is important, with three quarters (76%) considering looking for a new job if they discovered their company had an unfair gender pay gap or no diversity and inclusion policy. Feelings toward flexibility and work-life balance are not limited to parents (74%) who would like to arrange working hours to be more flexible, followed closely by 68% of non-parents. 

PAY STILL TOP PRIORITY

That said, salary remains a priority, but it’s not all that matters when it comes to pay and benefits. Pay is still a top priority for workers, although half of workers would trade a pay cut for work-life balance. This importance placed on pay and desired flexibility, many believe, could help to mitigate the amount of unpaid overtime workers believe they are contributing without compensation.

When asked what’s most important in a job, (63%) of workers placed salary at number one. In fact, three quarters (76%) say they are prepared to ask for a salary increase if they feel it is deserved, likely driven by a number of workers who believe they are giving away the equivalent of more than a working day (8.5 hours) of unpaid overtime each week.

JOB SATISFACTION

Regarding job satisfaction and outlook, employees have high expectations. Optimism for the outlook of the workplace, though slightly below pre-pandemic levels, is robust with workers upbeat on their thoughts toward work. Nine in 10 (90%) workers are satisfied in their current employment, though they could be happier; with just 41% saying they are only “somewhat satisfied”. Hopes are high for pay raises, with more than six in 10 workers (61%) anticipating a pay raise in the next 12 months, and more than four in 10 (43%) expect a promotion; these feelings of better pay and progression feed into how positive they feel about the future.  

When asked to describe their levels of optimism, almost nine in 10 (88%) put themselves in the optimistic category, with responses similar across age groups and genders, North America being the only region where workers feel more optimistic today (85%) than prior to the pandemic (79%); with more flexible changes in the workplace a likely driver of improved sentiment.

Looking ahead, workers want a durable career. Nearly a quarter of workers (23%) disclosed they are actively trying to change their job and/or move to a “future proof” industry where skills are in higher demand long-term, where they see the best career development prospects and strongest earning potential.

RE-EVALUATING WORK-LIFE BALANCE

“The pandemic signaled a paradigm shift as today’s workers re-evaluate the presence of work in their lives, and the stakes have never been higher for employers,” stated ADP Chief Economist, Nela Richardson. “Our research highlights the extent to which employees’ views of work changed, now prioritising a wider and deeper range of factors that are more personal in nature. With recruitment and retention among the most business-critical issues, these revelations offer both a challenge and an opportunity for employers as they seek to keep workers engaged and fulfilled.”

For additional findings and deeper context to the worker perspective in ADP Research Institute’s report, “People at Work 2022: A Global Workforce View,” click here.

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