The number of people employed in Australia has increased by 1.8% over the last year, yet many Australians are content with their current job and are not actively seeking new opportunities.
This is despite record-low unemployment and a tight jobs market that has employers bending over backwards to get people in the door.
There are a number of reasons why Australians might be hesitant to move jobs, even when it could mean a significant pay increase or better working conditions.
Job security is one factor that is likely to be weighing on people’s minds. With businesses cutting back on staff and hours in response to the pandemic, it’s understandable that people would want to hang onto the jobs they have.
Another reason could be a lack of confidence. With so many people out of work, those who are employed might feel lucky to have a job at all and might not think they are good enough to get a better one.
Although it may appear that people are frequently changing jobs, 65% of Australians have no intention of switching roles in the next year.
Lack of confidence is the one thing that SEEK career coach Leah Lambart says is the reason for the lack of drive to find a better position.
“Although there are many opportunities, candidates are not as confident as they have been in the past,” she said.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), While the unemployment rate remains at a low of 3.5 per cent, the number of job ads on SEEK’s website has increased 15.5 per cent in the past year.
Whatever the reason, it seems that many Australians are content to stay put, even when there are real benefits to be had from moving on.
This is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, stability can be important, especially in these uncertain times.
