UK workers are increasingly seeking a more rewarding career, a survey has found.
The poll by Lifelong Learning UK revealed that, whilst a higher salary is still the biggest reason to re-evaluate a career choice, one in five employees stated that their career must enable them to ‘give something back’ or make a difference to the organisation.
The survey also highlighted what employees feel is rewarding about their jobs, with personal growth, career progression and development opportunities featuring as top factors when considering employment options. Other viewpoints included a sense of purpose, nurturing the skills of others, and helping to shape the future development of the company.
“We’ve found that there are highly motivated and ambitious individuals for whom salary is a key influencing factor, but they also want to be in roles where they can have an impact, facilitate change and make a difference by sharing their skills with others,” said David Hunter, chief executive of Lifelong Learning UK.
“This could indicate that people are comfortable with their chosen career or profession and so are not looking to retrain, but after a few years in the workplace, want something more. Those working in professions such as accountancy, human resources or marketing, for example, could look to roles where they can still be financially rewarded and develop their own career, but perhaps has more emphasis on cultivating leadership qualities or shaping the skills and futures of others.”
When it comes to gender, the survey found that more men than women felt that their job had to be rewarding (almost 20% versus 17.5%).
