randstad workmonitor q3 2019: nearly two-thirds of employees would consider emigrating to improve their career and work-life balance.

• 64% would consider emigrating if they can improve their career and work-life balance.
• the United States is the most preferred foreign country to work in, followed by Germany and Australia.
• 79% like working with people from other cultures.

According to the latest Randstad Workmonitor, developing one’s career seems to be an important factor in people’s lives as 64% of the global respondents would consider emigrating to improve their career  along with their work-life balance. 59% are willing to emigrate for a substantially higher salary and 54% in order to have a meaningful career. On the other hand, 54% say they’d rather switch careers than emigrate. 

large regional differences

People from India are most willing to emigrate (for all purposes more than 90% say so), whereas the Dutch are less inclined to leave their country of birth (on average 37%). A substantially higher income (91%) is a reason to emigrate for the respondents from India whereas this factor doesn’t seem to be a motivation for the Japanese (35%). Also the search for a meaningful career (92%) could cause people from India to emigrate, which is much less the case for the Austrians (30%).

where do people want to work?

The question ‘If I had to work abroad, I’d prefer to work in…’ resulted in the following top 3 preferred countries to work in globally: 1) the United States of America, 2) Germany and 3) Australia. From the results, it can be concluded  that most respondents would prefer to either stay close to their home region or live in a country where people speak their native language. Respondents from Japan, however, seem to prefer English-speaking countries: 1) the US, 2) the UK and 3) Australia. 

mobility

It is not required to work within walking or cycling distance from their homes for people in the Netherlands (48%) or Denmark (50%), but people in Turkey (84%) and in Hong Kong SAR (82%) consider this a priority. An interesting job is considered worth the effort, however, as globally 69% are willing to travel for this attribute. In China, the willingness to travel is the highest (92%) and in Denmark the lowest (49%). When asked, globally 58% want to travel internationally for their work. People from India want to do so the most (91%), whereas the Dutch don’t seem to feel that need (31%). 

diversity is valued

Looking at it from the domestic side, 72% think it’s good that their employer hires foreign workers if the domestic workforce cannot provide the required skills and/or knowledge, and even 64% think it’s good that their employer attracts people from abroad to cover labor shortages. This has a positive spin-off as 79% of the global respondents like working with people from other cultures. This is most positively perceived in India and Mexico (95% and 94% respectively) and least in Japan and the Czech Republic (44% and 47% respectively).

quarterly recurring observations

mobility index up to 114

The number of employees worldwide that expect to work for a different employer in the coming six months was trending upward in the second quarter and has now increased again, bringing the overall Mobility Index to 114. Mobility increased the most in Italy and the US (+7), Greece and China (+6), Australia (+5) and in Spain, Austria, France and Brazil (all +4). Mobility decreased in Switzerland and Argentina (-4) and in Germany (-2). There’s no shift in mobility in Canada and Sweden.

actual job changes again highest in India and lowest in Luxembourg

Actual  job changes increased in Australia, China, Czech Republic, Turkey and the UK compared to last quarter. No countries saw a decrease in actual job changes. Job change in India was 61% and in Luxembourg 10%.

appetite to change jobs highest in India, lowest in Turkey

Job change appetite – the desire to change jobs – increased in Canada, Luxembourg and the Netherlands compared to last quarter. In Argentina, Belgium and Spain, the job change appetite decreased. In India it is the highest (54%) and in Turkey the lowest (16%).

job satisfaction - like previous quarters - highest in India, lowest in Japan

Compared to the previous quarter, job satisfaction increased in in Italy, Malaysia, New Zealand, Romania and the UK. Job satisfaction decreased in Canada, Luxembourg and the Netherlands compared to last quarter. In India and Japan, job satisfaction remained at 86% and 42% respectively. 

Country data are available in the global report:

about the randstad workmonitor

The Randstad Workmonitor was launched in 2003, and now covers 34 markets around the world. The study encompasses Europe, Asia Pacific and the Americas. The Randstad Workmonitor is published four times a year, making both local and global trends in mobility visible over time.

The Workmonitor’s Mobility Index, which tracks employee confidence and captures the likelihood of an employee changing jobs within the next 6 months, provides a comprehensive understanding of sentiments and trends in the job market. Besides mobility, the survey addresses employee satisfaction and personal motivation as well as a rotating set of themed questions.

The study is conducted online among employees aged 18-65, working a minimum of 24 hours a week in a paid job (not self-employed). The minimum sample size is 400 interviews per country. The Dynata panel is used for sampling purposes. The third survey of 2019 was conducted from 18 July until 5 August 2019.