Can employers still count on the loyalty of their employees?

Special Report: Léger Jobboom survey // Part 3 of 5

Today, many employees keep an eye on the job market even if they are happy with their current job. Whether they simply want to keep up to date on the opportunities available in their field or are actively searching for a better-paying job, these passive candidates are ready to jump ship for a new opportunity, presenting an interesting solution for employers.

The results of a Léger survey conducted for Jobboom found that 42% of candidates are passives, and they tend to be older and more experienced in their field than candidates who are actively looking for a job.

Of those surveyed, more than half of passive candidates (55%) explained that they peruse job postings just to keep an eye on the market and to identify opportunities in their field.

When granted anonymity in their responses, nearly half of passive candidates surveyed (46%) said that an increase in salary would be a primary motivator to change jobs. However, salary isn’t the only factor that attracts passive candidates to new positions: working conditions and atmosphere, professional challenges and the possibility of advancement are all factors that entice passive candidates.

Like active jobseekers, albeit to a lesser degree, around a quarter (26%) of passive candidates would like to find a job that offers a better work/life balance, while 25% want more professional challenges. Interestingly, 31% say that they consult job offers to find out how much their skills are worth on the market.

Who are these passive candidates?

The Léger survey included people who had looked at one or more job postings online during the past 12 months. Of those surveyed:

• 55% are between 45-54 years of age
• 58% are professionals
• 60% have a household income of less than $80k
• 60% have six or more years of experience in their field
• 53% are looking at job postings in the technology and media industries

For those who say they pay close attention to the job market, 32% of passive candidate respondents had applied for a job using a recruitment site in the last 12 months, compared with 71% of active candidates.

What prompts candidates to apply for a job?

The job market has undergone a transformation in recent years. Today, employee loyalty has become relative; many employees consider themselves to be free to change career paths as they see fit. As a result, many workers remain open to new employment possibilities.

When including all employment categories, 73% of respondents to the Léger survey said they were more likely to apply for a job if a detailed list of benefits was provided by the employer in the description of the post. This figure rose to 81% for passive candidates who were open to receiving offers from other employers.

As well, 44% of respondents said they would be more likely to apply for a job that provides a description of current projects underway at the company, while 25% said they would be attracted by a description of the company’s departments.

Other factors that influenced whether or not a candidate would apply for a job included the availability of a virtual tour of the office (23% of respondents), a visual map of the office location (22%) and photos or videos from the company (21%).

The relationship between candidate and employer

Slightly more than half of survey respondents (56%) agree with the statement that both candidates and employers must demonstrate their value during the hiring process. This belief was shared by 62% of passive candidates; 65% of candidates aged 45 to 54; and by 63% of professional candidates.

Some 46% of active candidates – who tend to be younger and less experienced – feel that it is primarily job seekers who must “sell themselves” to employers.

Candidates consult recruitment websites first

Jobboom is among the most well-known recruitment websites in Quebec, second only to Emploi-Québec. Knowing this, it’s perhaps not surprising that four out of five (81%) of survey respondents said that they know Jobboom. This figure was even higher among francophones, people between 35 and 44 years of age, residents of the Québec City region, professionals and candidates who work in the human resources and industrial relations fields.

Fully 85% of Jobboom users have a positive opinion of the site. When asked what they appreciate about Jobboom, these users said that the popularity of the site, the familiarity of the brand, Jobboom’s good reputation and their own positive personal experiences with the site all came to mind.

*The Léger survey was conducted Dec. 12-20, 2016 and generated responses from 500 people aged 18 to 54, all of whom had consulted one or more job postings online in the previous 12 months.

You can also read these other articles in our series about the Léger survey:

–          Employers are increasingly seeking out passive candidates

–          Recruitment sites remain popular with employers