Therefore, at the turn of August and September this year, Hays conducted a survey among active candidates for qualified jobs to find out what their current main motivation for changing jobs is. More than 300 people, across professions and sectors, took part in the survey.

The highest percentage of respondents, 23%, see the higher financial offer associated with acquiring a new role as the main motivation. "A higher financial offer is most often expected by candidates who do not necessarily need to change jobs, or are directly approached with an offer of a new job position," says Sándor Bodnár, Managing director of Hays. "These people, who do not necessarily have to change, then carefully compare the offers, assess the company's approach in great detail during the selection process and usually know exactly what they want to achieve by changing a job," adds Sándor Bodnár.

Almost the same percentage of applicants, 22%, cite the need to change the environment as the main reason for the change. "This need is very often closely related to long-term professional or personal stagnation," says Sándor Bodnár.

15% of respondents are not employed at this time and are therefore looking for a new job urgently. The same number of people, also 15%, are interested in change due to dissatisfaction with their superior or a team of colleagues. "Currently, companies place significantly more emphasis on the personal qualities of candidates. The past months, when it was necessary to manage employees remotely and lead hybrid teams, tested the ability of companies and employees to operate in this new regime, as well as the managerial qualities of leaders. Where expectations have not been met, personnel changes are taking place,” explains Sándor Bodnár.

Less frequent motivations for change are relocation (9%), the possibility of obtaining better benefits (4%) and the lack of flexibility of work and the opportunity to work from home (3%). "In the first half of this year, companies invested a lot of time and resources to set new rules for their operation in a new era of work. The low number of jobseekers looking for change to gain flexibility and the opportunity to work from home is proof that companies have done a very good job and have been able to offer their people an optimal work schedule,” says Sándor Bodnár from Hays.

Wage negotiations are an integral part of the selection process. Under what wage conditions, then, are candidates now inclined to change employers?

41% of survey respondents said that in the new position they will demand at least the same salary they currently receive, or they received in their last job. The largest proportion of applicants who answered in this way is currently unemployed, or they are looking for better benefits or flexibility.

25% of applicants then request an increase of at least 10% compared to the current salary, 22% of applicants expect a financial increase of at least 20% when changing a job. Candidates most often justify the increase in wage demands by the risk in the form of a probation period with a new employer, the special skills they have at their disposal, and more recently by the increase in the cost of living due to rising prices of goods and services.

A five percent wage increase will suffice for four percent of respondents and 8% of applicants are willing to reduce their requirements - this is most often due to relocation both within the Czech Republic and in the case of foreign workers heading to the Czech Republic or the need to change the work environment.

Source: Hays Czech Republic