Work in Greece: what qualities are most in demand

The Greek Job Opportunity 2022 survey is an attempt to map the working environment in Greece in terms of employees and applicants.

The job survey was conducted by Adecco for the eighth consecutive time in collaboration with Global Link and H+K Strategies.

Among the main areas of research are the reduction of unemployment, the time of reintegration into the labor market, factors that push workers to seek work, the degree of satisfaction with work-life balance, as well as the main factors associated with job satisfaction.

What the unemployment data show

Unemployment continues to decline, but not at the same intensity as in 2021, as participant unemployment hovered at 3% this year, compared to 9% last year, according to this year’s employment survey.

As noted in the study, this reduction shows how “fragile” the labor market in Greece remains and how easily external crises affect employment opportunities.

At the same time, it is observed that the majority (70%) of the workforce has gone through unemployment at some point in their career, and reintegration into the labor market appears to be significantly delayed, with an average reintegration time of 14 months. Moreover, this delay “strains” both employees and enterprises.

Keeping candidates connected to the labor market through training programs and targeted job search activities appears to be the “key” to reducing waiting times.

ΕΛΣΤΑΤ: Unemployment fell to 11.6% in October 2022

Both workers and candidates are constantly looking for work, as this phenomenon is observed, even among citizens who currently have a job (but intend to change it). Many of the survey participants say they are looking for work, mainly in Greece (68%), but also abroad (15%).

Brain drain

Over the past three years, the Employment Opportunity Survey has recorded a gradual decline in the proportion of people looking for work abroad, and despite a slight increase compared to last year (15%), a similar trend continues this year.

A reduction in the brain drain phenomenon is a particularly optimistic sign of a strengthening national economy, which suggests that talented human resources remain in the country.

The most important factors pushing employees to change jobs

Workers in Greece rate the provision of a satisfactory remuneration package as the most important factor that will encourage them to change jobs (78%), as well as a healthy work environment (38%) and development opportunities (36%).

The data obtained confirms the results of the previous Adecco Group study on the impact the ever-increasing cost of living for the well-being of workers; and the increased seriousness about health.

Office work or remote work

After three years of telecommuting or working with full or partial physical presence in enterprises, it seems that employers in Greece want to full return of employees to company premises. Thus, 67% of respondents answered that they work exclusively from the premises of the company, while only 23% work from home and office.

Increasing productivity is still the bet for adopting flexible workday (week) tactics as young workers seek not only higher wages but more flexibility in their schedules. For the majority of survey participants working at home is as productive as working in the office (37%).

Satisfaction with work-life balance

As a previous study by the Adecco group has shown, the dramatic increase in the phenomenon of “professional burnout” indicates a general climate of dissatisfaction observed among employees and associated with an imbalance in personal and professional life.

This year’s survey confirms this sentiment, as almost half of participants (46%) said they work more than 40 hours a week, which is a relatively high number, while employees are also very uncomfortable with the lack of personal time.

Ways to unload and disconnect from work

The majority of workers said they prefer spending time with family (38%) and friends (33%), while the majority of participants said they choose sports (27%) and reading and surfing the Internet (32%).

Workers worry about whether they can handle inflation

According to this year’s job opportunities survey, the majority of workers (84%) are concerned that their salary is not high enoughto cope with rising inflation. At the same time, they note that they do not have enough time and energy to restore their mental health, for example, to fully communicate with family and friends, or devoted to their favorite activities (sports, nature walks) and hobbies. In particular, younger workers are more concerned about the lack of work-life balance.

Main Factors of Job Satisfaction

Wages and total benefits (70%) are the most important job selection issues, showing a strong commitment of workers to cope with the effects of inflation.

A healthy work environment (42%) and opportunities for advancement and career advancement (29%) are leading factors in participants’ preferences, highlighting the importance of work-life balance and professional development.

The most important qualities of an employee

Work ethic sits at the top of the required employee qualifications, followed by a number of other skills such as time management (tasks in short order, efficiency), communication skills, flexibility, non-conflict and adaptability.

On the contrary, difficult skills are not rated as highly by employees themselves, probably because the prevailing opinion is that an employee can quickly learn new knowledge.

As noted, the survey was conducted for the eighth year in a row by Adecco in collaboration with Global Link and Hill+Knowlton Athens. The invitation to participate in the study was addressed to the general public (a sample of 881 people) by posting on selected websites using the CAWI (Computer Aided Web Interviewing) methodology.

Source link