FRS Recruitment Annual Employment Insights survey Results 2021

May 31, 2021

Nine out of every ten people would take a job that required them to be vaccinated, while three out of five would be in favour of employers being required to check vaccine certification before admitting staff to their place of work, a new survey by one of Ireland’s leading recruitment companies has revealed.

The annual FRS Recruitment Employment Insights Survey for 2021 also showed that optimism is returning to the jobs market from the perspective of both employers and employees as the country emerges from lockdown, but after one year of the pandemic more people are fearful for their job security.

A total of 3,192 people participated in the survey which was conducted over 12 days in April.

The survey showed that almost seven out of every ten workers believe they would secure new employment within 3 months of losing their job and 61% believe there will be more job opportunities in their sector post pandemic. The impact of the pandemic has also left its mark with 58% admitting they are fearful for their job security, up from 46% last year.

Three out of every four employees also expect to receive a pay rise in the next 12 months and almost half described themselves as ‘employed but looking for a new opportunity’.

Nine out of every ten employers are either currently hiring or plan on hiring in the next three months. 48% of employers also say they have experienced an increase in the number of applications this year and 56% believe the quality of candidate suitability has increased in 2021.

3 out of 5 workers would consider a pay cut if their job was at risk, while 73% would consider a reduction in their working week under the same conditions. Two thirds of all employees also say they would consider leaving a permanent role for a year long, exciting contract.

When people are evaluating a new job the most important priorities are salary (48%), the company’s culture and values (45%) and benefits (43%). Only 3 in 10 listed job security as a motivating factor.

When the pandemic restrictions are eased, 85% of employees want to be able to work remotely some or all of the time and 83% of all employers plan on offering more remote working opportunities. More than half of employers believe that employees are more productive when working remotely and 32% believe they are less productive.

For employees the biggest benefits of working remotely are more time with family (46%), more time for fitness and wellbeing (46%) and less time travelling (33%). The biggest challenges are internet speed/ connection issues (37%), inadequate home office setup (31%) and balancing family and work (25%).

42% believe the reopening of the economy has been too slow in 2021, 29% believe it is reopening too fast and 29% believe it has been handled at just the right speed.

“What comes across in the survey this year is that optimism is returning to the market both from an employer and employee perspective,” said Colin Donnery, General Manager of FRS Recruitment. “People have adopted to the change of circumstances created by the pandemic and as we emerge from lockdown they are ready to move forward. After a year of lockdown and an understandable reluctance to consider change, both candidates and employers are now keen to see what the market offers.

“With 9 out of 10 employers either currently hiring or planning to start hiring in the next 3 months it shows that confidence is returning to the economy, which is likely to drive extensive job market activity through the remainder of 2021. This is matched by the attitude of candidates, with almost half of them in employment but looking for fresh opportunities and seven of out ten expecting to receive a pay rise in the coming year. 61% also believe there will be further job opportunities in their sector. However the pandemic and lockdowns have left scars with a significant increase in the number of people now fearful for their job security compared to this time last year.

“The survey also shows how the pandemic has had a dramatic impact on attitudes to remote working. 4 out of every 5 employers now expect to offer additional remote working opportunities post pandemic and the vast majority of employees want remote working to now be part of their professional lives. While the pandemic has undoubtedly disrupted business and played havoc with our lives, perhaps one of its most lasting impacts on the professional realm will be shepherding in a new approach towards working in line with a digitally enabled world,” Mr. Donnery concluded.