BOULDER, Colo., Aug. 14, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- According to FlexJobs' 8th annual survey of more than 7,300 respondents, 30% of workers have reported leaving a job because it did not offer flexible work options. Sixteen percent are currently looking for a new job specifically because of work flexibility issues. With this insight, it's not surprising that 80% also said they would be more loyal to their employers if they had flexible work options. More than half (52%) of workers have tried to negotiate flexible work arrangements with their employer.
"In a tight labor market, companies cannot afford to ignore the value employees place on having flexible work options, but leaders also can't dismiss the very real bottom-line impact offering flexibility has on their employees' productivity and retention rates," said Sara Sutton, founder, and CEO of FlexJobs. "The flexible job market is currently very robust, so flexible job seekers are also feeling empowered to seek jobs that are more compatible with their life. In fact, 80% of job seekers say they are confident in their flexible job prospects," Sutton concluded.
Key Findings Regarding Employee Productivity:
– 65% of workers think they would be more productive working from home than working in a traditional office environment
– Fewer distractions (74%), fewer interruptions from colleagues (72%), reduced stress from commuting (70%), and minimal office politics (64%) are the top reasons people prefer their home office.
– Only 8% would choose to go to the office during traditional office hours when they need to optimize their productivity
Interest in Remote Work is High:
– 71% have telecommuted in a job before
– Of those who telecommuted in 2018, 19% telecommuted more this year than last year
– 82% of respondents know someone who telecommutes
– 100% telecommuting is the most in-demand type of flexible work arrangement (76%), followed by flexible schedules (72%), part-time (46%), and freelance (39%)
– Less than 5% worry a lot that a flexible work arrangement will hurt their career progression
About Today's Flexible Job Seeker:
– Wanting to travel (54%) is the primary reason for working, after paying for basic necessities (75%) and saving for retirement (60%)
– Work-life balance and salary (73%) tied as the top two factors people consider when evaluating job prospects
– Since 2013, work-life balance (75%), family (45%), time savings (42%), and commute stress (41%) have been the top four reported reasons people seek flexible work
– Flexible job seekers are educated, with 69% having at least a bachelor's degree and 28% having a graduate degree
– They are also experienced in their career, with only 13% entry-level
– A range of audiences are interested in flexibility, such as working parents, entrepreneurs, people living in rural areas, introverts, caregivers, military spouses, and more
Health and Happiness:
– 44% said a job with flexibility would have a huge improvement on their overall quality of life and 53% said it would have a positive impact
– 78% said having a flexible job would allow them to be healthier (eat better, exercise more, etc.)
– 86% said they'd be less stressed if they had a flexible job
For the full list of survey findings, conducted in July 2019, please visit https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/survey-flexible-work-job-choices or contact Kathy Gardner at [email protected].
About FlexJobs
FlexJobs is committed to helping people find a better way to work. As the leading online service for professionals seeking remote, flexible schedule, part-time, and freelance jobs, FlexJobs offers opportunities in over 50 career categories, ranging from entry-level to executive and freelance to full-time. FlexJobs also sets itself apart by providing job seekers with a better, safer, and more efficient way to find professional and legitimate flexible jobs. Having helped nearly four million people in their job searches, FlexJobs has appeared in CNN, CNBC, TIME, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and hundreds of other trusted media outlets. To further assist people in bettering their lives through flexible and remote work, FlexJobs' Founder & CEO Sara Sutton has also launched two additional partner sites, Remote.co and 1 Million for Work Flexibility, to help provide education and awareness about the viability and benefits of remote working and work flexibility. Sutton is also the creator of The TRaD* Works Forum (*Telecommuting, Remote, & Distributed), dedicated to helping companies leverage the benefits of telecommuting, remote and distributed teams.
SOURCE FlexJobs
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