With millions of job openings, workers are making clear what they want

According to Employ Inc.’s 2022 Job Seeker Nation Report, which gathered responses from more than 1,500 U.S. workers, a majority of job seekers believe it’s easier to find a job this year than in the previous year, and one-third of workers feel comfortable quitting a job without having another lined up.

“With millions of available jobs in the U.S., workers are making it clear they want more from employers — and they feel empowered to ask for it,” said Allie Kelly, chief marketing officer at Employ Inc.

Remote work

“Consider that nearly half of workers are willing to accept a lower salary to work remotely, and 30 percent said their ideal workplace setup is 100 percent remote,” said Kelly. Although the desire for more workplace flexibility is strong, company culture also remains critical. More than half believe that culture is just as important in an increasingly remote work environment, and one-third of workers who left a job in the first 90 days said it was due to poor company culture.

Learning and development opportunities

Continued growth, training, and education is a priority for workers today. However, many employers fall short. According to Employ, only 24 percent of workers receive learning and development opportunities from their employer. “Learning and development is integral to internal mobility — a recruiting focus that many companies lack, since 54 percent of workers active in the job search have not looked at their current company for a new position,” said Kelly.

Higher compensation

Money is top of mind for workers, with half believing they could make more simply by switching jobs. Employers who fall short on compensation expectations may see an increase in turnover or candidate rejection. According to Kelly, if a business can’t compete with considerable salary increases, try “accommodating with other forms of compensation.” This may include a signing bonus, more paid time off, equity, a bonus for hitting specific targets, an accelerated promotion timeline, or a more flexible schedule.