Reveal Marketing Research in partnership with OLX Jobs: Growing anxieties are prompting Romanians to choose jobs that give them feelings of long-term safety and stability
Reveal Market Resources, Study No. 148
Bucharest, February 27, 2024: During the ReSource by OLX Locuri de Muncă conference, the latest study assessing the dynamics of the labor market in the last year was launched, conducted by Reveal Marketing Research in partnership with OLX Jobs, one of the leaders of recruitment platforms.
The main goal of the study was to understand the emerging and constantly changing needs of blue collar (those who work in physical or manual fields) and grey collar (those who combines elements of manual work with office work).
The conclusions were as follows:
- The top of candidates’ expectations related to current or future employment includes: wage growth (54%), motivating additional benefits (33%) and service-life balance (33%).
- The main challenges of candidates in the search for a new job are finding the right opportunities (58%), trusting the employer (46%) and the difficult process of application and selection (33%).
- 63% of blue/grey collars have considered working abroad, especially young people aged 18-24 (76%).
Against the background of growing anxieties, the expectations of employees from a job are defined by the notions of safety, trust and seriousness
According to the results of the survey conducted by Reveal Marketing Research, for 45% of respondents, major events, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, negatively influenced job expectations and preferences. Thus, issues such as job security (33%), work-life balance (31%), or increasing the importance of health benefits (30%) were the most frequently mentioned effects of these events. At a closer look, we note that the health benefits and safety at work are important to a significantly greater extent for 42% among the representatives of the Baby Boomer Generation (over 58 years).
”Increasing salary expectations is one of the most visible aspects in recent years, this has also boosted professional mobility. If in the past, more emphasis was placed on training, now the main priority is to get a higher salary. This can be attributed to rising living costs and a greater awareness of the value of employees in the labour market. So, amid growing anxieties, the expectations and needs of blue/grey collar employees at a job are currently defined by the notions of safety, safety, trust and seriousness” mentions Marius Luican, CEO of Reveal Marketing Research
As regards salary expectations, most blue and grey collar workers currently expect a monthly salary between 3001 and 4000 RON (28%) or between 4001 and 5000 RON (25%) when they start looking for a new job.
Professional mobility is primarily influenced by the desire to achieve higher incomes (61%) and reflects the general need of people for change and professional advancement
70% of Romanians change jobs at more than 3 years old. As a trend, Generation Z (18-24 years) more frequently look for jobs at less than 2 years (27% vs. 13% total sample)
The main perceived benefits of frequent job change are: wage growth and other benefits offered by the employer (61%), professional development opportunities (44%) and improving professional skills (38%). Regarding the challenges in the process of searching for a new job, finding the right opportunities (58%), trust in the company/employer (46%) and the difficult process of application and selection (33%) are the most frequently mentioned barriers.
In addition, HR specialists are keen to highlight that among blue/employees/ grey collar there is a growing trend to seek seasonal jobs in industries with fluctuating labour demand (e.g., construction, tourism, agriculture or other seasonal services), and during the cold season they are looking for jobs that give them more stability.
By turning our attention to the aspects that influence the decision not to change jobs, job stability (85%) and long-term benefits such as salary increases, bonuses, etc. (84%) are the key factors that make employees stay in their current job.
Work abroad continues to be viewed as an opportunity by 6 out of 10 blue/grey collars
63% of respondents considered being able to work abroad or move to another country in search of a job, given the attraction for higher wages (42%), economic stability (30%) and better working conditions (29%). Data from the study reveal that young people aged 18-24 (Generation Z) are most open to considering the possibility of working abroad (76%).
Moreover, the motivation to look for a job abroad to get higher income is stronger (47%) in the case of representatives of Generation Y (28-46 years).
Job sites (67%) and referrals from acquaintances (60%) remain the most commonly used recruitment channels to find a suitable job
Recruitment channels most often used by employees to find a suitable job are job sites (67%), recommendations from acquaintances (60%), employer websites (57%) and social media platforms – Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. (56%).
The main reasons why blue/grey collars frequently use these recruitment channels are: easy and fast access to the necessary job information (72%) and diversity of employment opportunities (63%). In contrast, the main barriers are the lack of confidence in the effectiveness of the channels (62%) and the lack of familiarity with these recruitment methods (57%).
According to HR specialists, recruitment sites are valued primarily for their professionalism and simplicity, while the recommendations outline a clearer and transparent picture of a potential new job.
During the recruitment process, employees often lose interest if the salary offer is below expectations (73%), especially among Generation X representatives (47-58 years), by a percentage of 79%. Interest may also decrease if job requirements are considered excessive or unrealistic (48%).
***
About Reveal Marketing Research
Reveal Marketing Research is a full-service market research company specializing in marketing research, sociological studies, customer insight, business strategy, market development. With expertise in over 20 industries, Reveal Marketing Research believes that market research is the basis for good decisions and brand positioning. The qualitative and quantitative solutions have been helping companies in Romania and other European countries for 15 years.
About OLX Jobs
OLX Jobs is the online recruitment platform preferred by the blue and grey collar sector, with over 570,000 job advertisements published during 2023. It is the place where candidates and employers from all over the country meet, one of the most transited recruitment platforms in the blue and grey collar sector. More than 128,000 companies recruited in 2023, choosing the OLX Jobs platform.
Reveal Market Resources, Study No. 148: Reveal Market Resources is a data hub of free studies offered to audiences, with the aim of supporting the marketing and communication market in Romania.
Methodology: The Reveal Marketing Research study was conducted online between October and November 2023 and comprises two components: qualitative stage – 16 in-depth interviews with HR specialists and quantitative stage – national representative sample for the universe of people aged 18+, employees/people looking for a job, etc, in category blue/grey collar, without higher education. The sample size was 1406 respondents, and the maximum sampling error is +/-3.1 % at a 95% confidence level%.