randstad workmonitor, results wave 2-2015: working hours vs. private time: blurred lines.

Working from home and handling private matters during working hours: technology enables us to be connected anywhere, anytime. What does that mean to our workload? And are people still able to switch-off once away from their desk?

57% of the respondents in the Randstad Workmonitor survey indicate their employers expect them to be available outside regular office hours – which is an increase compared to 2010 when 40% stated this. 47% of the employees say they are also expected to be available during holidays. China, India, Turkey and Hong Kong rank well above the global average on both statements, while employers in the Nordics and western Europe seem less demanding.

Mixing the professional with the private also goes the other way: 64% of the respondents say they sometimes deal with private matters during working hours – a significant increase since 2010 when 40% of the respondents in the Randstad Workmonitor recognized this.

Although more than half of the employees do not mind handling work-related matters in their private time, 38% does feel pressured to respond to work-related calls and emails when on holiday. Hong Kong tops this list with 77% and Denmark is at the low end with 17%.

Interestingly enough, 39% of the employees handle work-related matters when on holiday because they like to stay involved. This percentage is highly influenced by a staggering 75% in India. Globally, 74% states they are able to let go of work easily when they are on a break. This in an increase compared to 2013 when 67% of the employees felt this way.

Quarterly recurring items

Mobility Index moves up to 110

The Mobility Index, tracking the likelihood of employees expecting to change jobs within the next six months, has reached 110 again. In the long-term the trend moves more or less sideways with a tendency to slightly increase over time.

Underlying, the most significant changes vs. last quarter are:

• Mobility jumps in Turkey (+9), the US (+8), Japan (+6) and Norway (+5)
• Largest decline in mobility in Hungary (-8), Portugal (-6) and Austria (-5)

Actual job change up to 24%

The number of employees worldwide who actually changed jobs in the last six months was 24% (compared to 22% last quarter). The majority of the actual job changes is people finding a job with a different employer. Underlying, actual job change dropped again in Malaysia, although it is still high compared to other countries. In Hong Kong, Turkey and Slovakia job change also decreased.

The appetite to change jobs (applying and actively looking) dropped in Sweden, Hungary and Austria, and there is also less appetite to actively look for a new job in India, Greece, Australia and France. On the other hand, the US, Canada, Argentina, The Netherlands, Denmark, Chile, Norway, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan and Portugal show a (slight) increase in appetite compared to last quarter

Job satisfaction: no major shifts

Job satisfaction increased slightly in Turkey, Germany, France, Greece, China and Hungary. Job satisfaction decreased in Mexico, Denmark, Argentina, New Zealand, Spain, UK, Portugal, Chile, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Japan.

The Randstad Workmonitor

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

The Mobility Index, which tracks employee confidence and captures expectations surrounding the likelihood of changing employers within a six-month time frame, provides a comprehensive understanding of job market sentiments and employee trends. In addition to measuring mobility, also employee satisfaction and personal motivation, as well as a rotating set of themed questions are part of the survey.

The quantitative study is conducted via an online questionnaire among a population aged 18-65, working a minimum of 24 hours a week in a paid job (not self-employed). The minimal sample size is 400 interviews per country, using Survey Sampling International. Research for wave 2 was conducted between April 17 and May 4, 2015.