More than three-quarters of professionals in Asia are considering taking new jobs this year, a LinkedIn report found, indicating that employees in a region known for long office hours are increasingly unwilling to "stick out" work they don't want to do.
Some 77 per cent of Asia-Pacific's workers want to move to new roles, with the shift fueled by Gen Z and Millennials, according to data released this week by the social platform typically used to promote professional backgrounds. That's slightly higher than the global figure of 73 per cent, the report said.
The need for higher wages and a better work-life balance were the biggest motivators for professionals in the region to seek other employment, LinkedIn found.
The shift in mentality comes as the majority of organisations in Asia-Pacific plan to expand their workforces in the coming year, LinkedIn said, with the aim to increase hiring most pronounced in India, Indonesia, Singapore and Australia.
Nearly 60 per cent of Asia-Pacific professionals were more optimistic about using artificial intelligence to make their job searches more efficient, compared to the rest of the world at 52 per cent, LinkedIn found, while the emotional stress of looking for new employment was especially pronounced in Singapore and Australia.
Looking for new opportunities
Workers' willingness to look for new opportunities "- and companies' desire to expand their workforces "- contrasts with the economic uncertainty that's rocked countries across the region in Covid's wake. Those include the ripple effects of China's economic wobbles, inflation that's hurting consumer demand in India, and a spike in cost of living that's worrying millions of Australians.
"The motivation for job changes often stems from the rising costs of living, prompting individuals to seek opportunities that align with inflation," said LinkedIn career expert Pooja Chhabria. "The desire for higher wages is likely due to the need for financial security amidst a challenging economic environment over the past couple of years."
Some companies are requiring employees to return to the office post-Covid "- another potential reason people might be looking for a more flexible working culture, Chhabria said. A desire for a more well-rounded lifestyle and better well-being is another driving factor, she added.
