Half (50 per cent) of Canadian employees say they’re currently looking for a new job or plan to begin their search in the first half of 2023, up from 31 per cent in June, according to a new survey by Robert Half Canada Inc.
The survey, which polled more than 1,100 employees, found employees who’ve been with their current employer for two to four years were most likely (61 per cent) to make a career move, followed by information technology workers (57 per cent), generation Z and millennials (56 per cent) and working parents (55 per cent).
According to respondents, the No. 1 reason for seeking a new job was higher salary (62 per cent), followed by better benefits and perks (39 per cent), better advancement opportunities (30 per cent) and greater flexibility to choose when and where they want (27 per cent).
Read: 31% of Canadian employees considering job change in second half of 2022: survey
Notably, two-fifths of respondents said they’d be willing to go back to a former employer if given a salary equal to or higher than their current pay, while nearly a third (29 per cent) said they’re considering quitting their job to pursue a full-time contracting career.
When asked what causes them to lose interest in a job opportunity, more than half (55 per cent) of respondents cited unclear or unreasonable job responsibilities, followed by poor communication with the hiring manager (46 per cent) and misalignment with the company culture and values (35 per cent).
“Many Canadian workers continue to have confidence in the job market despite news of layoffs and a slowdown in hiring,” said David King, senior managing director for Canada and South America at Robert Half, in a press release. “Professionals with in-demand skills know they have leverage given the talent shortage and are open to new opportunities that offer more fulfilling work, a higher salary and improved perks and benefits.”
Read: Majority of employers enhancing total rewards to improve attraction, retention efforts: survey