Switching jobs good for career say workers

Search for better job opportunities is highest in Asia Pacific at 54% compared to 40% in the Americas.

Switching jobs may not be considered a very good practice in the industry, but individuals view it as the key to career growth. According to a study by HR services firm Kelly Services. 52 per cent workers said that switching jobs is crucial for their career progression. In Asia Pacific region, the figure was the highest and stood at 55 per cent.

"Many employees now don’t consider it a taboo to be passively available to other employers, even when they are happy in their current positions. This paradox in the labour market seems to be the new norm, and it poses special challenges for both employees seeking to choose their next best employers, and employers wishing to retain the best talent," said Kamal Karanth, Managing Director, Kelly Services India.

 

In terms of the benefits, employees consider it to be an asset for career growth and advancement. Further, the search for better job opportunities is highest in Asia Pacific at 54 per cent compared to 40 per cent in the Americas.

  The study explained that there is enormous diversity across employment arrangements, and tenure has generally shortened over recent decades. "Today, one-third (31 per cent) of workers regard a career-for-life with one employer as relevant in the modern workplace. There is a generational dimension to the question, with significantly younger workers attracted to the notion of a career-for-life than older workers. A total of 32 per cent of Gen Y see a career for- life as relevant, compared with 29 per cent of Gen X and 28 per cent of Baby Boomers," the study said. 
 
It was pointed that employees with professional/technical skills generally had a more positive view of experience with multiple employers than those with non-Professional/technical skills. Also, it said that India had one of the most active job seekers are in India with nearly 46 per cent Indians constantly on a look out for a job switch. Indonesia and China were the leaders in this regard at 74 per cent and 61 per cent respectively.
 
The study said that among those who actively looked for better job opportunities, about half (49 per cent) used this knowledge to bargain or negotiate with their current employer. Those in the APAC region were the most active in leveraging market conditions for their benefit. Karanth further said that employers need to consider ways to improve their development and promotional programs so that employees think twice before switching employers.

The study had surveyed 1,70,000 people in 30 countries participated in the survey, including more than 4,000 in India.