Yahoo! HotJobs released a new survey among 5,331 U.S. workers, suggesting that nearly half have plans to attain higher salaries, better benefits, and more job growth in 2007.
Those numbers represent only employees who will actively look for new opportunities.
Another two-thirds of currently employed respondents said that while they won’t actively seek new jobs, they are open to one if the right opportunity came along.
“The notion of employees jumping ship is a critical risk factor for many of today’s leading businesses,” said Susan Vobejda, vice president of marketing at Yahoo! HotJobs, in a release.
“Organizations need to take this very seriously and build the pipeline by going after those who would be open to new opportunities in addition to those who are actively searching,” she said.
Why Workers Are Leaving
According to Yahoo!, more than 50% mentioned they have to work on their days off at least once per month; 27% said they believe can get better salaries elsewhere; 19% want a better benefits package; and another 19% are not optimistic about career growth.
The online survey, held during the last two weeks of October 2006, also showed 75% of respondents were unhappy with annual salary raises and bonuses.
Fifty-six percent of the respondents were male and 44% were female.
Employment Index: Job Satisfaction Dips
Also this week, the Hudson Employment Index, a measure of U.S. workforce confidence in the labor market, fell to 102.7 in December from 105.3 in November. (The 2006 average was 103.7, with the reading for December 2005 at 103.4.)
The recruiting firm said confidence among U.S. workers decreased in December based on lower job satisfaction and heightened job-loss concerns.
Results from the survey also showed that 73% of workers said they were happy with their current job — the lowest reading since August 2005. A year ago, 75% of workers reported job satisfaction. (Last month, a Hudson survey found that 39% of workers were very or somewhat likely to look for a new job in 2007.)
“Finding a new job tops many workers’ new year’s resolutions,” said Hudson Highland senior vice president Steve Wolfe, in a statement.
“Increased job dissatisfaction, coupled with extremely low unemployment, suggests many workers are poised to explore new career options in 2007,” he said.
The national telephone poll was conducted in December, surveying 9,288 working Americans.