randstad workmonitor q2 2018: age-diverse teams are innovative, resourceful and preferred to work in.

Talking about the various generations in the workforce, 86% of the global respondents prefer working in a multi-generational team, according to the latest Randstad Workmonitor. 85% declare themselves as working in a multi-generational team (i.e, 10-15 years difference in age)  - and thanks to an age-diverse team they are able to come up with innovative ideas and solutions.

Collaboration between generations is considered mutually beneficial at their company, say 85% of the participants. With regard to communication, 80% feel that the main difference with working in a multi-generational workplace is the communication styles whereas 31% find it difficult to communicate with coworkers who are from a different age group or generation.

direct manager

Although 83% of the respondents globally believe that their direct manager’s age does not matter as long as they’re inspirational, 69% prefer that their direct manager is older than themselves with Hong Kong reporting the highest score (86%).. The majority of the respondents (77%) says their direct manager is talented at working together with various generations and 69% state that their direct manager cares about their career path.

social media connection

With regard to connections on social media such as Facebook or Instagram, globally, respondents are more frequently connected with their colleagues (61%) than with their direct manager (35%). Respondents in India have the highest connection rate with their colleagues (86%) and in Japan the lowest (19%). When looking at the connection rate with their direct manager India again scores  highest with 67% and Japan again lowest with only 10%.

When focusing on age, men in the age group 18-24 are more often connected to their direct manager (47%) than their female counterparts (38%).

Quarterly recurring observations

mobility index slightly up to 110

The number of employees worldwide that expect to work for a different employer in the coming six months slightly increased and resulted in a Mobility Index of 110. Mobility increased most in Turkey (+9), Poland (+7), the US (+5), Brazil and Italy (both +4). Mobility decreased most in France and Czech Republic (both -5), Sweden and China (both -4). Singapore and the UK show no shift in mobility.

actual job change stable at 22%; highest in India

The actual job change is stable at 22% and once more is highest in India (46.6%). Compared to last quarter, the actual job change increased in in Canada, Mexico, Poland, Singapore and Turkey. In Australia, China, Czech Republic and Italy the actual job change decreased compared to last quarter. The actual job change is still lowest in Luxembourg (8%),  followed by Romania (12%) which is a new country participating in the survey.

appetite to change jobs and still highest in India

Job change appetite, i.e., the desire to change jobs, increased in Australia, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, the UK and the US compared to last quarter. Only in Italy the job change appetite decreased. The appetite to change jobs is still highest in India (42%) and lowest in Turkey (16%).

job satisfaction again highest in Mexico

Compared to the previous quarter, job satisfaction increased in Italy and Japan, but decreased in Belgium, Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Portugal, Singapore, Sweden and Switzerland compared to last quarter. Like last quarter, job satisfaction is highest in Mexico (84%) and lowest in Japan (50%).

Country data are available in the Global Report Workmonitor 2018 Q2.

the randstad workmonitor

The Randstad Workmonitor was launched in the Netherlands in 2003, then in Germany, and now covers 34 countries around the world. The last country that joined is Romania in 2018. The study encompasses Europe, Asia Pacific and the Americas. The Randstad Workmonitor is published 4 times a year, making both local and global trends in mobility visible over time.

The Workmonitor’s Mobility Index, which tracks employee confidence and captures the likelihood of an employee changing jobs within the next 6 months, provides a comprehensive understanding of sentiments and trends in the job market. Besides mobility, the survey addresses employee satisfaction and personal motivation as well as a rotating set of themed questions.

The study is conducted online among employees aged 18-65, working a minimum of 24 hours a week in a paid job (not self-employed). The minimum sample size is 400 interviews per country. The Survey Sampling International (SSI) panel is used for sampling purposes. The second survey of 2018 was conducted from 23 April until 14 May 2018.