PROFESSIONALS in the north value job security and a decent salary more than a role with an innovative or creative employer, new research shows.
Asked to rank 20 career motivations in order of importance, a competitive base salary ranked number one, followed by secure employment and flexible working conditions at number three.
Innovation mattered least to professionals with a creative and dynamic work environment and opportunity to make a personal impact also appearing in the bottom three.
And worryingly, less than one in five (17 per cent) of respondents would positively recommend their organisation to a jobseeker.
The research was conducted among 1,476 professionals in Northern Ireland by e-recruitment platform NIJobs.com in partnership with global employer brand specialist Universum.
Sam McIlveen, general manager of NIJobs, said: “Recruiters need to understand the motivations of the talent they want to attract, and this research offers valuable insights into sentiment among local professionals.
“The pandemic and the news that the UK is now officially in recession will have an impact on what people value in their working lives. It’s no surprise that security and flexibility are more highly prized than creativity, variety, and innovation. But workers should appreciate that it doesn’t have to be a binary choice.
“Northern Ireland is home to many vibrant, successful and dynamic businesses in sectors such as IT, engineering and food production, which continue to offer opportunities to professionals.
“While news that the UK is now officially in recession is challenging, in our most recent job report with Ulster Bank, we saw job listings increase in over half of our job categories.”
He added: “Of more concern is that over half of professionals wouldn’t recommend their employer to a jobseeker.
“Employee advocacy, what your workers say about you, is a cornerstone of employer branding and a cost-effective talent acquisition strategy. A strong employer brand ensures an organisation can attract the best available talent. In business, people are your best asset, hiring and employing talent is key to recovering and emerging successfully from this pandemic.”
