|
Money and lifestyle issues driving career change for South African workers - Career stability may be history, Kelly Global Workforce Index™ finds
(8 Aug 2011) – The concept of having one career throughout your working life is changing, with more than half of all South African respondents saying they expect to switch careers within the next five years.
This is according to the Kelly Global Workforce Index™, a survey from global workforce solutions leader Kelly Services® containing the views of approximately 97 000 people in 30 countries including the opinions of more than 1 000 South Africans thanks to the collaboration of JSE-listed employment services provider the Kelly Group. The two companies signed a global partnering agreement in June last year.
The main cause, cited by 31 percent of respondents, is the need for higher income, followed by changing personal interests (27 percent), the need for improved work-life balance (21 percent), and concerns that their industry is in decline (11 percent).
“We are seeing a surprisingly large number of people who are actively considering the critical issue of whether they should change their careers and make a fresh start,” said Kelly Group marketing director Tracey Czakan.
“For an earlier generation, a change of career would have been something of a crisis, however today, it is seen as a reflection of shifts in demand for different skills and occupations, as well as changing personal interests on the part of employees.”
One sign of the shifting attitude to career interruption is that more than three-quarters (80 percent) of those surveyed believe they could resume their career at the same level after taking a break for such things as maternity or paternity leave, illness or an extended holiday.
Gen Y (aged 18-29) are the most confident of resuming their career following a break, with 82 percent confident they could do so, compared with 80 percent of Gen X (aged 30-47), and 76 percent of baby boomers (aged 48-65).
Results of the survey in South Africa show:
- The industry sectors in which employees will face the greatest likelihood of career change are Contact Centre/Customer Service, Oil & Gas, Utilities, and Government.
- In determining the most important elements in a person’s career – experience or formal education – the vast majority (79 percent) nominate experience, while 19 percent cite formal education and 2 percent are undecided.
- Most respondents (64 percent) say that when looking for a job, the best indicator of a person’s talent is their work experience, followed by performance in the job interview (18 percent), job references (12 percent) and education (6 percent).
- More than three-quarters of respondents (77 percent) say they aspire to an executive position, while 17 percent do not, and 6 percent are undecided.
- The main reasons for avoiding executive positions are concerns about pressure and stress, cited by 33 percent, followed by the impact on work-life balance (30 percent), and inadequate skills or education (17 percent).
- 95 percent say that it is either “extremely important” or “important” that qualifications and skills be upgraded in order to progress their career.
“As individuals take greater control of their careers, there is a likelihood of employees moving in and out of the workforce for both professional and lifestyle reasons. Employers and employees will both need to adapt to this new workplace reality, where the smooth career pathway will be the exception rather than the rule,” said Czakan.
Background information:
About the Kelly Global Workforce Index™
The Kelly Global Workforce Index is an annual survey revealing opinions about work and the workplace from a generational viewpoint. Approximately 97,000 people from the Americas, APAC and EMEA responded to the 2011 survey with results published on a quarterly basis. Analysis of the 2011 data was conducted by Echo Research. Kelly Services was the recipient of a MarCom Platinum Award in 2010 and a Gold Award in 2009 for the Kelly Global Workforce Index in the Research/Study category.
About the Kelly Group
Kelly Group Limited, which is listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange in the Support Services – Business Training and Employment Agencies sector, is the parent company of a group of businesses engaged in the provision of comprehensive employment services, skills development and outsourced solutions. In June 2010, the Kelly Group signed a global partnering agreement with Kelly Services, Inc, in terms of which both companies will make their services available to clients outside the other’s traditional geographic footprint and will collaborate together on certain global projects.
Visit www.kellygroup.co.za.
About Kelly Services®
Kelly Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: KELYA, KELYB) is a leader in providing workforce solutions. Kelly® offers a comprehensive array of outsourcing and consulting services as well as world-class staffing on a temporary, temporary-to-hire and direct-hire basis. Serving clients around the globe, Kelly provides employment to more than 530,000 employees annually. Revenue in 2010 was
$5 billion. Visit www.kellyservices.com and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, & Twitter.
|
|
| |
| |
| Kelly Global Workforce Index |
|
The Kelly Global Workforce Index is an annual survey revealing opinions about work and the workplace from a generational viewpoint.
Approximately 97,000 people from the Americas, APAC and EMEA responded to the 2011 survey with results published on a quarterly basis. Kelly Services was the recipient of a MarCom Platinum Award in 2010 and a Gold Award in 2009 for the Kelly Global Workforce Index in the Research/Study category. |
|
|
|
|
| Press Releases and Presentations |
|
|
Career Progression Trends |
|
|
Social Networking Trends |
|
|
|
Talent Mobility Trends |
|
|
|
|
