Half of Poles are afraid that due to inflation and the macroeconomic situation they will not have a chance for a raise, and one fifth is planning to find additional employment, according to the 49th edition of the “Labor Market Monitor” implemented by the Research Institute Randstad in collaboration with the Pollster Research Institute. For the first time since the lifting of the pandemic restrictions, concerns about the reduction of employment have also increased noticeably.
More than half of respondents admit that price increases and macroeconomic conditions and concerns about them have already influenced their career decisions, and 60% say that they have had an impact on their plans. Every fifth respondent decided to take additional work in order to increase their earnings, and 13% undertook overtime work for this purpose. A similar percentage plan the same actions.8% of the respondents decided to increase their professional competences, and almost twice as many have planned to do so. In turn, every twentieth person wants to retrain completely , and 8% declare that they intend to do so – in both cases it is about higher wages or more stable employment, according to the study.
For 10% of employees, inflation has become an impulse to apply for a raise, and the same number of employees want to ask their superiors for a higher salary in the near future. Research shows, however, that the employer’s responses do not always meet these needs. Of those who asked for a raise, more than half received less or no raise than they asked for. Every third respondent received as much as he or she did, and every twentieth – more. The current situation is also a driving force to raise or change qualifications.
Disappointment with earnings can translate into higher staff turnover, lower employee engagement, or both. At the same time, however, companies that cannot propose significant pay rises at the moment may try to create additional opportunities for employees within their structures, e.g. by engaging them in the paid roles of experts, trainers or project leaders, according to the report.
Inflation also influences decisions related to changing jobs. 14% of respondents plan to change their employer to one that will offer a higher salary, and 4% have already done so. A small percentage of respondents decided to change the form of employment with their current employer to a more stable one, or they are planning to do so, according to the report.
For the first time since the lifting of the pandemic restrictions, fears of job loss have also increased – 32% of employees are afraid of dismissal. Slightly fewer people, ie 17%, are afraid of reducing employment due to inflation and the current macroeconomic situation, but at the same time almost one third expect that they will have more duties due to the reduction of the workforce. Nevertheless, Poles still highly estimate the chances of finding a new job. Almost nine out of ten respondents say that if they lost their job, they would find any job. However, the percentage of people convinced that they will find a job that is equally good or better has been gradually decreasing, it was also indicated.
The survey also asked whether employees plan to emigrate from Poland for economic reasons. Here, too, you can see the impact of the economic situation. The most frequently quoted reason for the willingness to leave – better employment conditions – is slowly losing its importance and gaining importance of a stable economic situation.
In 2022, as in previous years, every fourth employee surveyed plans to go to work abroad. This year, however, many more people want to leave our country permanently. Young people, men and employees of the construction industry plan to leave significantly more often than other employees. Poles would most willingly go to Germany, the Netherlands or Great Britain. Compared to the results from 2020, the percentage of people who still do not know where they will want to go has increased significantly. Those planning to leave most often consider taking up physical work, in production or industry (43%).
Source: Randstad and ISBnews
