Over 60% of Irish Workers Considering Changing Jobs in 2022

New research published by LinkedIn has revealed that over 6 in 10 (63%) Irish workers surveyed are considering changing jobs in 2022.

As a result, using CSO data, that would mean over 1.4 million workers are open to a fresh challenge this year.

60% of Irish Workers Considering Changing Jobs in 2022

This renewed sense of confidence in the labour market stands in contrast to the uncertainty of the previous 21 months, where the economic impact of COVID-19 resulted in a perceived stall in career progression for some Irish professionals.

The study of 1,001 professionals in Ireland highlighted that just over a quarter (26%) of workers surveyed who didn’t change jobs due to a lack of confidence or not wanting to change employers during the pandemic said they believe that they have potentially missed out on additional earnings since March 2020, with the average earnings loss suspected to be over €6,000.

The renewed confidence in the Irish workforce is most evident in professionals at the start of their career, with the labour market potentially about to experience a youthquake.

Almost three quarters of workers with careers of up to two years are considering changing jobs in 2022. Similarly, approximately two thirds (65%) of professionals with careers between 1-2 years feel confident enough to push for a promotion or new job opportunities at work.

The LinkedIn study also revealed a range of changing attitudes to company benefits in light of the increasing trend of remote working, with access to online training and wellness services, as well as credit for food delivery services such as Deliveroo and JustEat, becoming more attractive than office facilities like gyms or pool tables.

The five most desired perks by professionals from prospective new employers are:

1. Access to online training (47%)
2. Credit for food delivery services like Deliveroo or JustEat (40%)
3. Access to online counselling (37%)
4. Subscriptions for mental health apps like Calm (36%)
5. Access to virtual exercise classes or personal trainers (35%)

To help job seekers, LinkedIn is hosting a Jobs Bootcamp, a programme of content and live events on LinkedIn that will offer practical career advice and job seeking tips from experts.

As part of the Jobs Bootcamp initiative, LinkedIn is also unlocking a range of LinkedIn Learning courses to help job seekers build key skills to find their next career opportunity.

Commenting about the research findings and Jobs Bootcamp, Sharon McCooey, Head of LinkedIn Ireland, said: “Despite the pandemic, there is a renewed confidence among Irish professionals with many focused on career progression in 2022.

“With the world of work so rapidly evolving, we’re launching a Jobs Bootcamp to arm people with the tools they need to help them stand out from the crowd and find their next opportunity in 2022.

“These LinkedIn Live sessions will help job seekers understand how the jobs market is changing with advice from leading industry experts on how to map out your career, grow your network, overcome setbacks and more.”

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