[Lifestyle ] Great Flirtation': Should workers constantly job hunt?

[S e u o n g]

Following the Great Resignation, the job market is hot. Should workers constantly keep a wandering eye for their next opportunity, even if they’re not necessarily itching to leave?

In the past six months, Beth has increased her salary by nearly £ 10,000. She has gradually negotiated her way from full-time office hours to a permanent remote-working contract. Her day-to-day opportunities have swelled. Compared to the start of the year, she has struck a better work-life balance. And she's done it with practically zero haggling or demands.

Instead, her career upgrade has been achieved by swiftly changing jobs. “Whenever I’ve felt as though the role hasn’t been exactly as promised, I’ve looked for the next opportunity,” explains Beth. "If it's something that's closer to my ideal work set-up, a company that looks appealing, then I apply."

Based in Yorkshire, UK, Beth is soon to begin her third account-manager role this year. She says she’s only been able to finally command a fair wage and flexible working by adopting this job-seeking mindset. “Unfortunately, my experience is that I’ll only receive a pay rise if I go to my boss with another job offer,” adds Beth. “My end goal has always been remote working. It felt unachievable - until I found my new role. "

Since the start of the pandemic, swathes of workers across industries have left their jobs - and millions more are contemplating quitting, too. It's helping to cause a worldwide hiring crisis. However, it’s not just recent vacancies companies are struggling to fill. As many global economies are growing, businesses are struggling to keep up as they expand. The demand for talent is, therefore, skyrocketing. It’s created a sellers ’market: workers have more leverage than ever, and many can afford to cherry pick a role that aligns more with their values and desires.

Rather than begin searching for a new position when they’re unhappy or burned out - typically years into a role - some workers are opting to seek a better opportunity from day one. This mindset is a kind of ‘Great Flirtation’ with new jobs: a constantly wandering eye to other openings, regardless of how long a worker has been in a role, and how content they are in their current job.

In a labor market that favors workers, is constantly flirting with other openings the right approach to help workers stay happy, get into better positions - or even achieve more in their career?

‘Irrational, aimless wandering’

For decades, the prevailing narrative has been to stay in a role for as long as possible, build résumé clout and make a lasting contribution to an organization.

Prematurely switching roles was stigmatised as 'job hopping' - not just by bosses, but also wider society. In 1974, American industrial psychologist Edwin Ghiselli likened it to vagrancy, coining the term ‘Hobo Syndrome’ to describe workers who frequently changed roles. His approach essentially re-framed the complexities of frequent quitting to irrational, aimless wandering - driven by internal impulses absent from “organized or logical thought”.

 

 

Workers can take advantage of the current labor shortage and secure their dream role - Simon Wingate
In this framework, employers held power over employees, which kept them in their roles. “The idea was if the employer takes care of you, you do the same and stick with them,” explains Mark Bolino, director of management and international business at the University of Oklahoma, US.

The global recession of the 1980s shook loose some of this thinking. As companies had to cut costs, they laid off workers, says Bolino, whose research has focused on employees ’dedication to their organizations and why they quit. Instead of employers expecting workers to stay in roles indefinitely, he says “the relationship subsequently became more transactional:‘ if we have layoffs, we have them. If you find a better job opportunity, we understand ’."

Rather than climbing a career ladder with one company, then, the onus fell to the employee to forge their own path. Yet, ‘sticking’ at a job for the long-term was ingrained. According to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, American workers ’median job tenure steadily rose from 3.5 years in the 1980s to 4.4 years in the 2000s, before slightly dipping at the end of the past decade.

Looking for the next opportunity has, typically, been a reactive process. Often, it’s to the employee’s detriment: waiting until frustration, a lack of progression or workplace conflict kicks in before bailing.

But the pandemic seems to have changed this thinking; as workers report long stretches of stress and introspection, many are re-evaluating their lives and careers - and are more open to making moves. Workers have begun looking for jobs that better match the work set-ups they want - particularly the option for remote- and flexible work. "In August, we found that the number of applications for jobs with remote working outpaced the number of vacancies offering a hybrid work set-up," says Simon Wingate, managing director at UK recruitment firm Reed.

However, job adverts have continued in their droves. Wingate says 120,000 vacancies were added to Reed in the first 10 days of November, meaning it's on track to have its highest number of monthly postings since 2008. A higher number of vacancies, coupled with an increase in employers offering better options to fill those roles , has created an embarrassment of riches for new job options. “Workers can take advantage of the current labor shortage and secure their dream role,” adds Wingate.

Furthermore, employees can seek job opportunities, even if they're not necessarily itching to leave their company immediately, and leverage the hot job market to their advantage. This is particularly the case as companies create remote-first roles, opening access to thousands of new roles for millions of workers once geographically excluded. “The power is currently in the workforce’s hands, meaning they can make more demands - including a higher wage, more perks and flexible working arrangements,” says Wingate.

 

LINK: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20211129-should-you-job-hunt-constantly