Employees will stay with bosses who support them, says the online recruiter Monster.
Research from the firm shows wellbeing is the number one reason people would choose and stay with an employer.
It says this is largely because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
400 UK employees from a range of organisations and sectors were asked to mark factors in order of importance when considering an employer.
“Care” from employers is most important
The survey found that nearly 60 percent (59.5%) ranked “care” as the top or second consideration when looking for work.
Competitive pay, benefits and job security were found to be important but overall “care” was considered more important, by around 35 percent of people.
Having an interesting job was the third most important factor, for more than 45 percent.
However, employees also ranked a stimulating and innovative work environment as either their second or third consideration.
Only 4.8 percent listed a good social atmosphere, including teamwork and camaraderie as most important to them.
Career development least important
The least important factors were career development – with more than 50 percent ranking work in an organisation which invests in growing employees and providing paths to promotion 5thor 6th.
Lastly, almost half said being able to apply their skills in a challenging way and feeling that they are making a real contribution to be the least important factor.
The majority of respondents wanted to know an organisation’s position on the most important factor to them before even considering a company as a potential employer or applying for a specific job.
Others wanted to know when applying, with the information either provided in a job advert or on a firm’s careers site.
Employees care about a company’s culture
When asked about whether an organisation they plan to work for should take a stand on social issues such as BLM and trans rights, a high percentage (42%) said they thought organisations should have a public viewpoint.
This was mirrored in a follow-up question about whether firms should go public with their views on political issues such as Brexit and Scottish independence. Nearly 69% wanted prospective employees to remain neutral.
However, when asked whether a company’s reputation on social justice or political issues would influence them on whether or not to work for them, 55 percent said that it would.
Claire Barnes, Monster’s Chief Human Capital Officer, commented, “This survey shows that applicants are being very discerning about who they prefer to work for. In a market where candidates have a wider choice of roles than ever before, it’s too late for employers to leave discussion of important issues until after selection. Most candidates now want to know the attitude of potential employers to these criteria before they will even consider working for them.”
Feyaza Khan has been a journalist for more than 20 years in print and broadcast. Her special interests include neurodiversity in the workplace, tech, diversity, trauma and wellbeing.
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