97 pct of employees in Türkiye open to new offers: Survey

Yasemin Salih- ISTANBUL

Some 97 percent of employees in Türkiye are open to new job opportunities, making Türkiye the top country where employees are most actively seeking fresh career prospects, reveals a survey conducted by a renowned U.K.-based recruitment company.

According to a comprehensive survey conducted by Michael Page, involving 70,000 employees across 37 countries, "job loyalty" has been replaced by a constant evaluation of new career opportunities, even among contented employees.

Among the surveyed countries, Türkiye has the highest ratios in terms of employees’ willingness to consider new job offers, while only 3 percent stated that they are close to new opportunities.

The research highlighted that while salary remained the primary motivator for job changes, several other factors such as work-life balance and promotion prospects also came to the fore.

“The pandemic has led to an increased rate of job switching and decreased job commitment. People now remain open to new career opportunities even if they are satisfied with their current positions. Loyalty has become an exception in the current job market dynamics,” stated Fatih Cömert, the head of Michael&Page Türkiye.

Cömert also noted that openness to new job offers is not limited to entry-level or mid-level employees but is also observed among top-level executives.

“Previously, presenting a new offer to a company's CEO seemed nearly impossible, but now even the highest-ranking executives express a willingness to ‘at least listen’ to fresh opportunities,” Cömert said.

The current economic conditions have also led to dramatic shifts in employee expectations, with young professionals having significantly different career perspectives compared to their parents, he added.

“Young individuals are less inclined to follow their parents' path of investing amid inflation and constantly changing economic conditions. They believe that traditional savings may not lead them to achieve long-term goals, such as owning a home or a business. Instead, they focus on making the most of the present, seeking new experiences and adventures. As acquiring experiences and adventures often requires financial means, they are not only driven by high salary expectations in their current jobs but also strive for a work-life balance that allows them to explore various experiences beyond work,” Cömert said.