Europeans are increasingly conscious of work-life balance — the equilibrium between private life and professional life. 19.2% of Europeans cite it as one of the factors motivating them to change jobs (the fifth most common reason after: desire for development, lack of work, lack of future prospects, and seeking better pay).
Poland among the least interested
Poles are still learning — only 1 in 10 cited work-life balance as a key reason to seek new employment. Besides the factors mentioned by Europeans, Poles also highlighted seeking better ethical company structures and employer restructuring. The findings of the ‘Confidence Index’ for Q3 2016 are commented on by Piotr Dziedzic, Director at PageGroup.
Employee perspective
Employee perspective
The idea of seeking balance between work and private life is arriving in Poland with delay. In continental Europe, we are the country where this reason is cited by the smallest percentage of respondents (10% versus 19.2%). One key reason is that Poles remain a ‘society of earning’, needing to catch up with Western European standards. Younger generations focus on financial stability, defining their attitude toward work — ‘I want more — I must work for it’. Financial factors like credit eligibility and permanent employment contracts are therefore essential. Polish employees also believe that workplace comfort must be earned — that is, by working hard today to achieve balance between work and free time in the future.
Employer perspective
Employers focus on results
Companies in Poland are also beginning to pay attention to the growing importance of work-life balance for employees — especially foreign corporations bringing standards from other countries to the Vistula. Historically, for employers, the most important was punctuality and completing duties for a fixed number of hours. Today, managers care more about the final output of an employee, regardless of where the work is done, not the time spent in the office. Being creative and enthusiastic while sitting at a desk for 8 hours is challenging. Hence, remote work is becoming increasingly popular and accepted, and video conferences from home are now standard. Companies recognize that to reduce employee turnover, they must provide workplace comfort and show they understand employee needs. After all, the most valuable employee is one who remains efficient and motivated throughout the workday.
About the 'Confidence Index' study
Confidence Index methodology
Work-life balance in Poland and Europe — Confidence Index results
‘Confidence Index’ is a recurring survey conducted by PageGroup across continental Europe, measuring moods among job seekers in Poland, Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Belgium. The survey measures candidates’ optimism regarding job prospects, estimated job search duration, expectations for their professional situation and the country’s economic outlook, as well as reasons for changing jobs. The study is conducted online among candidates who applied for jobs via Michael Page or Page Personnel’s websites. In Q2 2016, over 15,600 respondents took part; in Q3 2016, 2,000 more participated, including approximately 660 from Poland each quarter. Results are published quarterly.
Summary
The Q3 2016 ‘Confidence Index’ shows that work-life balance is the fifth most common reason for changing jobs in Europe — cited by 19.2% of respondents. In Poland, the share is only 10%, which Piotr Dziedzic from PageGroup explains is due in part to Poles being a ‘society of earning’, where financial stability — such as creditworthiness and permanent contracts — remains a top priority.
However, employer attitudes are changing: instead of tracking hours spent in the office, success is measured by output. Remote work and video conferencing are on the rise. PageGroup’s survey covered candidates from 12 continental European countries, with over 17,600 participants in Q3 2016, including around 660 from Poland.
