ABT Recruitment
October 2009
Two out of three employees looking for green pastures
Two out of every three employees would potentially consider changing jobs if the right
opportunity presented according to a recent survey of current attitudes to employment.
Conducted by Brisbane-based firm ABT Recruitment, specialists in accounting, business
and technical recruitment, the survey asked more than 500 past candidates across a variety
of professional and administrative roles for their views on current employment conditions.
The respondents answered questions relating to how likely they were to change roles within
six months, what would be the major issues in changing employment and what was
important to them when considering employment.
ABT Managing Director Kevin Gammie said the survey was indicative of the general feeling
throughout the jobs market.
“On the whole, employees are not particularly happy at present,” Mr Gammie said.
“Employees are actively looking for job opportunities with about one in four very likely to
change roles within six months.
“In fact 44% overall mentioned they were likely or very likely to change roles in that time,
with a further 22% uncertain. This means that two out of every three employees are
potentially on the job market if a reasonable opportunity was to present itself.
Mr Gammie said this frustration seemed to have stemmed from the way some businesses
handled the ‘global financial crisis’.
“Many companies used the GFC to streamline business practices, sometimes reducing
already busy teams to near breaking point.
“In fact 43% of respondents worked in organisations that contracted over the last year and
12% were directly affected when a team member or team members were let go. It is this
group who are now three times more likely to be looking for another opportunity.
Mr Gammie said it was not all doom and gloom for employers with more than 20% of
respondents working for organisations that grew in the same period.
“On the up side, of all respondents only one in eight thought their organisation handled the
situation very poorly,” he said.
The survey indicated that employees would look for positions that offered them good work
life balance, a good boss and fellow colleagues and further career advancement.
“It was interesting to see that if a position offered everything they desired one in three
people would change roles for less money than they currently earned with a further four in
10 for the same money. This makes three out of four people changing companies and roles
for the same money or less,” Mr Gammie said.
Contact: ABT Recruitment Managing Director Kevin Gammie. Ph: (07) 3105 0400
NEWS 
