73% of UK job seekers would work later in life if they could work flexibly Manpower ‘What makes a
Great Employer?’ Report, October 2005
Nearly three quarters of UK job seekers (73 per cent) would work later in life if they could work flexibly,
according to a new report released today by Manpower, the UK’s leading workforce management company.
And 59 per cent of job seekers would be happy working a longer week if their hours were flexible..
The report, What makes a Great Employer?, provides an insight into how job seekers in the UK, Europe, Middle East
and Africa (EMEA) view various aspects of the workplace. The report is drawn from independent research conducted by
MORI of 1,604 UK workers and of 12,229 across EMEA.
UK job seekers also ranked flexible working and a work/life balance as one of the three top factors when deciding what
makes a great employer.1 Employees also rate career progression opportunities and competitive benefits and salary
package as other leading factors when choosing who to work for.
Commenting on the research, Mark Cahill, managing director of Manpower, says: "This research is of great significance
for all employers when considering their recruitment and retention policies. Whilst it is still the case that
benefits and salary often feature at the top of employee wish lists, employers need to recognise that many employers
rate flexibility just as highly."
The report also shows that job seekers are less concerned about whom they work for as opposed to how they work: just
nine per cent of workers believe working for a well-known company is important.
Continues Cahill: "The job for life is long dead. People today are likely to have at least two or three different
careers in their lifetime and want to have more say over how they work and when they work. Many employers have already
woken up to this and include this priority in their employment policies.
“With an ageing population, thinking creatively about how we better engage the workforce can make all the
difference. It’s clear there is a demand and good employers need to recognise it.”
After salary and bonus, key workplace issues for employees are the length of the working week (62 per cent rating it
important), the number of holidays (54 per cent) and access to paid courses/education (49 per cent)..
Flexible working practices are similarly popular with many European workers: an average of 70 per cent would work later
in life if they could do so flexibly. However, there is marked reluctance amongst Swedish employees to take such a step
with just 38 per cent supporting this compared to 69 per cent in Norway, 68 per cent in Belgium, 72 per cent in Spain
and 84 per cent in Turkey. Flexible working also scores in the top three of factors determining a great employer with
European job seekers citing security and stability, salary and benefits and flexible working1 as key.
Looking at the popularity of different benefits or employment policies above others across Europe, workers in Austria
have the greatest thirst for knowledge with 78 per cent rating paid courses/education as most important; employees in
Germany are most interested in a pension package (68 per cent); workers in Greece want career breaks (70 per cent);
employees in Spain are most concerned at the length of the working week (69 per cent); and workers in Turkey most value
healthcare provision (73 per cent).
ENDS
Notes to editors:
As part of the survey, respondents were asked to rank what they feel makes a ‘great employer’. The top three results
returned were
UK
EMEA
1.
Competitive benefits and salary package (Holiday, Maternity pay)
51%
One that provides security and stability
47%
2.
Supports flexible working and encourages work/life balance
47%
Competitive benefits and salary package (holiday. Maternity pay)
42%
3.
Opportunity for career progression
44%
Supports flexible working and encourages work/life balance
39%
The Great Employer research was conducted for Manpower by MORI in July/August 2005. Research was conducted across 15
countries in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA): Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Israel,
Italy, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey. 12,229 people were polled.
For graphs and further details, please contact the Manpower UK press office on 020 870 2214.
About Manpower
Manpower is the UK’s leading workforce management company,
specialising in permanent and temporary recruitment, HR services,
managed services, outsourcing and HR consultancy.
Manpower has been established in the UK since 1956 and today
works with organisations in both the public and private sector.
Manpower’s UK-wide network of 300 offices allows the company
to meet the needs of local and national customers. This includes
numerous small and medium sized enterprises, as well as larger
organisations such as BMW, BT, Heinz, Hertfordshire County Council,
IBM, National Health Service, New Deal South Wales, Royal Mail
and Xerox.
The focus of Manpower’s work is on raising productivity
through improved quality, efficiency and cost-reduction, enabling
customers to concentrate on their core business.
Manpower has a highly skilled workforce of 100,000 temporary
employees who stay loyal to the company (and its customers) thanks
to best in class employment benefits. These include a contract
of employment and a free e-learning tool offering staff over 1,000
courses in a diverse range of subjects, keeping Manpower’s
workforce up to date with today’s ever-changing working
environment.
