Workers are Seeking Higher Trust and Engagement

Workers are Seeking Higher Trust and Engagement

The urgent need for greater engagement is also seen in the high dissatisfaction figures from employees. For this year's survey, we evaluated the SCARF scores of employees across the world.  Designed by neuroscientist Dr David Rock, SCARF states five key domains that influence behavor.

According to this, younger employees, especially Gen Z, aged 18-24, are the most dissatisfied at work, along with pre-retirees aged 50-64. Conversely, Millennials, aged 25-34, are more satisfied at work, despite 41% of them feeling they aren’t trusted to make decisions. Those with children under 18 are also among the most satisfied at work, which correlates with the higher life satisfaction levels we have seen for this group over the past three years.

We see consistently higher scores for those working in Multi-National Corporations (MNCs) than those employed by domestic employers. MNC employees scored significantly higher on the ‘Autonomy’ measure, saying they were more likely to have real choices at work.

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With MNCs more likely to have HR teams, and well-being programs, it is probable that their investments in these critical areas is reaping rewards. For example, 66% of employees at MNCs said they were offered the opportunity to learn and grow, compared to 59% of those working for domestic employers. Again, in terms of salary and benefits, 54% of MNC workers were happy with their package vs 47% of those employed by domestic employers.

The biggest factor that employers need to take account of is the shift in priorities that has taken place over the last few years. Four in five (79%) of those likely to change job have spent more time re-evaluating their life priorities than two years ago. These are people who have made their own decision to change jobs, not those made redundant, which accounts for only 2-6%.

Of those who are re-evaluating their life priorities, three out of five claim to value time over money and well-being and work-life balance factors are increasingly important in their decision making regarding a new job.

61% of those looking to change jobs value time over money

65% have spent more time re-evaluating their life priorities than 2 years ago

47% say they have satisfactory salary and benefits

63% have good work life balance

In the Middle East, productivity is good, but a culture of long hours persists. Human Resources professionals are now focused on how to oversee the new hybrid working situation. We’re training managers, both virtually and face-to-face, to really look at the needs of their staff, including how to properly check-in long before signs of work burnout appear. This requires a more compassionate and empathetic approach, so they fully understand what's going on with an individual's work life and personal life.

Isil Ata, Head of Human Resources, Middle East

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