financial services: worker preferences and workplace agility
TRANSCRIPT
KELLY GLOBAL WORKFORCE INDEX®
FINANCIAL SERVICES & INSURANCE
WORKER PREFERENCES AND WORKPLACE AGILITY
2Kelly Global Workforce Index®
CONTENTS
The Kelly Global Workforce Index®
(KGWI) is an annual global survey
revealing opinions about work and
the workplace. Almost 230,000
people across the Americas; Europe,
the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA);
and Asia-Pacific (APAC) regions
responded to the 2014 survey.
The topics covered in the 2014
KGWI survey include:
• Engaging Active and
Passive Job Seekers
• Career Development
• The Candidate Experience
from Hiring to On-boarding
• Worker Preferences and
Workplace Agility.
This fourth installment, Worker
Preferences and Workplace Agility,
canvasses the value employees attach
to key elements of their work, including
skills, flexible work arrangements, and
even the idea of socially conscious work.
Employees also give a clue as to why
they are drawn to some organizations
and not others—shedding light on why
an employer’s geographic location,
size, and management structure all
play a part in talent selection.
THE KELLY GLOBAL WORKFORCE INDEX 2014
3 Where do employees really like to work?
4 More than money and promotion
9 Why employer size, location, and track record all matter
13 Making the shift for work
16 New and emerging flexible models of work
18 The organizational structure that workers prefer
20 Looking in the mirror
21 How Kelly can help
3Kelly Global Workforce Index®
Among financial services employees, the
way a company looks and feels, as well
as its record of achievement, all make a
difference when selecting a place to work.
Also, views and expectations
surrounding non-traditional work styles
and arrangements are shifting, and
these can provide employers with an
edge in attracting the best people.
Where do employees really like to work?The key features that make an organization attractive to candidates
are seldom voiced in formal recruitment processes, but employees
hold firm views about where they want to work, and why.
4Kelly Global Workforce Index®
More than money and promotionThe most attractive companies offer more than competitive pay and benefits.
They offer the opportunity to develop skills and a clear pathway for progression.
Indeed, the idea of learning new skills at work may be worth more than higher
pay and/or career growth or advancement for many financial services employees.
5Kelly Global Workforce Index®
More than half (57%) of the financial
services employees surveyed
globally said they would be prepared to
give up higher pay and/or career growth
or advancement for the opportunity to
learn new skills.
The willingness to trade off pay for
skills is more prevalent in APAC (65%)
than it is in EMEA (54%).
Certain countries stand out for
employees’ willingness to sacrifice
remuneration in order to gain skills—
notably, India (83%), Indonesia (73%),
Portugal (70%), and Poland (65%).
How likely would you be to give up higher pay and/or career growth or advancement for the opportunity to learn new skills? (% “definitely would” and “would,” by country)
WILLINGNESS TO TRADE OFF PAY FOR SKILLS
GLOBAL AVERAGE: 57%
APAC AVERAGE: 65%
EMEA AVERAGE: 54%
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Skills development isn’t the only
thing important to financial services
employees—they also value flexibility.
More than a third (37%) globally said
they would be prepared to give up
higher pay and/or career growth or
advancement for a more flexible work
schedule.
Considerably more employees in APAC
(49%) are willing to make these pay and
advancement sacrifices than those in
EMEA (28%).
How likely would you be to give up higher pay and/or career growth or advancement for a more flexible work schedule? (% “definitely would” and “would,” by country)
WILLINGNESS TO TRADE OFF PAY FOR A FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULE
GLOBAL AVERAGE: 37%
APAC AVERAGE: 49%
EMEA AVERAGE: 28%
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GlobalRussiaItalyPolandFranceChinaPortugalGermanySwitzerlandHungaryNorwayUKSingaporeAustraliaMalaysiaIndonesiaIndia
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7Kelly Global Workforce Index®
Work–life balance is also important
to financial services employees.
A total of 52% globally said they would
be prepared to give up higher pay
and/or career growth or advancement
for a better work–life balance.
The premium on work–life balance is
considerably greater in APAC, where
62% would be likely to make such
a sacrifice, than in EMEA (45%).
How likely would you be to give up higher pay and/or career growth or advancement for a better work–life balance? (% “definitely would” and “would,” by country)
WILLINGNESS TO TRADE OFF PAY FOR WORK–LIFE BALANCE
GLOBAL AVERAGE: 52%
APAC AVERAGE: 62%
EMEA AVERAGE: 45%
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8Kelly Global Workforce Index®
There is also a group of employees
who are attracted to work that is
socially fulfilling, and who are willing
to give up pay and/or promotional
opportunities to pursue it.
More than a quarter (29%) of financial
services workers globally said they
would be likely to give up higher pay
and/or career growth or advancement
for an opportunity to do more socially
conscious work. The proportion likely
to do so is considerably higher in APAC
(36%) than in EMEA (25%).
How likely would you be to give up higher pay and/or career growth or advancement for an opportunity to do more socially conscious work? (% “definitely would” and “would,” by country)
WILLINGNESS TO TRADE OFF PAY FOR SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS WORK
GLOBAL AVERAGE: 29%
APAC AVERAGE: 36%
EMEA AVERAGE: 25%
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GlobalRussiaNorwayGermanyPolandSingaporeItalySwitzerlandFranceHungaryUKMalaysiaAustraliaChinaPortugalIndonesiaIndia
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Why employer size, location, and track record all matterFor workers in the financial services sector, an organization’s
characteristics —its geographic footprint, size, type, and record
of achievement—all factor into the employment equation.
10Kelly Global Workforce Index®
Globally, 37% of financial services
employees surveyed said they
have no preference about the type of
organization they work for—whether it’s
a global company, a national company
(operating in a single country), or a
regional company (operating in a
single region within a single country).
However, more than a third (42%)
would prefer to work for a global
company—twice the number who would
prefer to work for a national company
(14%) or a regional company (7%).
The preference for global companies
is more pronounced in APAC
(65%) than in EMEA (50%).
What company geographic footprint would you most prefer to work for? (%, by region)
PREFERRED EMPLOYER ORGANIZATION GEOGRAPHIC FOOTPRINT
National company
Global company
Regional company
No preference
EMEA APAC
11%4%
19%
65%14%
6%30%
50%
11Kelly Global Workforce Index®
When it comes to the size of
the organization, the largest
percentage (36%) of financial services
employees globally said it doesn’t matter.
However, almost a third (32%) are drawn
to large companies (those with more
than 1,000 employees), and more than
a quarter (26%) to mid-sized companies
(those with 50–1,000 employees).
Only 6% prefer small businesses
(those with less than 50 employees).
APAC employees showed a clearer
preference for large companies (48%)
than those in EMEA (33%), while small
businesses were the preferred choice
of just 7% in EMEA and 5% in APAC.
What company size would you most prefer? (%, by region)
PREFERRED EMPLOYER ORGANIZATION SIZE
Large company (more than 1,000 employees)
No preference
Mid-sized company (50–1,000 employees)
Small business (less than 50 employees)
EMEA APAC
26%48%21%
5%32%33%28%
7%
12Kelly Global Workforce Index®
When it comes to the type of
organizations that financial
services employees like to work
for, they tend to lean toward firms
with an established presence.
While 31% globally have no preference,
43% said they want to work for a business
that is established, with some longevity.
This preference for established
companies is strong in both
EMEA (48%) and APAC (44%).
Fortune 100 or Fortune 500 companies
are only preferred by 17% in EMEA,
but by a much stronger 33% in APAC.
Start-up firms are preferred by
only 5% in each region.
What type of company would you most prefer to work for? (%, by region)
PREFERRED EMPLOYER ORGANIZATION TYPE
No preference
Established company with longevity
Fortune 100 or Fortune 500 company
Start-up company/micropreneur
EMEA APAC
44%5%
17%
33%48%
5%29%
17%
13Kelly Global Workforce Index®
Making the shift for workThe global growth in financial services has given rise to major shifts
in resources as newly developing economies expand banking and
wealth management offerings. This has prompted many to think
about how ready they are to move for work. And it seems a surprising
number of financial services employees are ready to relocate, often
considerable distances, in order to secure the work they want.
14Kelly Global Workforce Index®
There is a relatively high degree
of labor mobility inherent in the
financial services workforce, with a total
of 71% of employees surveyed globally
saying that they would be ready to move
for the right job: 17% to another city
or town; 15% to another state, region
or province; 14% to another continent;
13% to another country; and 12% within
the same country, district or province.
Only 27% of employees surveyed
in EMEA and 18% in APAC are not
prepared to move. In APAC, there is a
high willingness to relocate for work,
with 23% prepared to move within
the same country, district or province;
22% prepared to move to another
country; and 20% preapred to move to
another continent. In EMEA, 21% said
they would be prepared to move to
another continent, and 18% would be
prepared to move to another country.
How far would you be prepared to move for the right job? (%, by region)
WILLINGNESS TO MOVE FOR WORK
EMEA
APAC
GLOBAL
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
Within the same country/district/province
Another country
Another continent
Another state/region/province
Another city/town
Not willing to move
15Kelly Global Workforce Index®
0%
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50%
AFRICATHE MIDDLEEAST
SOUTHAMERICA
THE ASIA-PACIFICREGION
NORTHAMERICA
DON'TKNOW
EUROPE
EMEA
APAC
GLOBAL
Europe stands out as the
destination of choice for financial
services employees interested in
moving to a different part of the
globe for work, cited by more than
a third (36%) of respondents, while
24% nominated North America.
Asia-Pacific region attracted only 9%,
followed by South America (4%), the
Middle East (3%), and Africa (2%).
EMEA workers gravitated toward their
own continent (49%), while those
in APAC also prefer Europe (31%),
followed by the Asia-Pacific region
(29%) and North America (16%).
Aside from your own region, which part of the globe would you most want to work in? (%, by region)
PREFERRED REGION TO WORK
16Kelly Global Workforce Index®
New and emerging flexible models of workVarious alternatives to the traditional form of employment
have emerged in financial services employment in recent years,
including freelancers, temporary employees, contract employees,
independent contractors, project-based Statement of Work
contractors, and entrepreneurs and business owners.
17Kelly Global Workforce Index®
APPEAL OF NON-TRADITIONAL EMPLOYMENT
Globally, 41% of financial services
employers expressed an
interest in these non-traditional or
flexible employment alternatives.
Workers in APAC (41%) are more likely
to be interested in non-traditional
or flexible employment than those
in EMEA (33%).
A number of countries stand out for
their disposition to these new, flexible
models of work, including Australia
(51%), China (49%), Indonesia (46%),
and Malaysia (44%).
To what degree are you interested in non-traditional or flexible employment? (% “very interested” and “interested,” by country)
GLOBAL AVERAGE: 41% APAC AVERAGE: 41%
EMEA AVERAGE: 33%
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18Kelly Global Workforce Index®
The organizational structure that workers preferAs financial services businesses have evolved, various managerial
structures have developed—virtual teams, collaborative
environments with cross-functional teams, flexible arrangements,
environments with both high risks and rewards, and environments
characterised by latest technology and equipment.
19Kelly Global Workforce Index®
IDEAL EMPLOYEE WORK ENVIRONMENT
The ideal work environment for
financial services employees is
one that offers collaboration (58%) and
flexible work arrangements (56%).
These workers also want exposure
to the latest technologies and
equipment (42%), virtual teams (40%),
and a culture of innovation (39%).
Fewer workers are attracted to
highly individualized structures with
limited teamwork (18%), competitive
environments with both high rewards
and risks (25%), and traditional
hierarchical structures (28%).
By region, collaborative workplaces
are highly attractive to those in both
APAC (60%) and EMEA (59%). Flexible
work arrangements, virtual teams, and
competitive environments with high
risks and rewards are more attractive
to those in APAC than in EMEA.
Your ideal work environment would include which of the following features? (%, multiple responses allowed, by region)
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Virtual teams
Exposure to the latest technologies and equipment
Flexible arrangements, remote work, flexible schedules/hours
Highly collaborative environment (cross-functional teams)
EMEA
APAC
Global
EMEA
APAC
GLOBAL
Highly individualized, limited teamwork and collaboration
Competitive, where rewards and risks are high
Traditional hierarchical structure
Traditional work arrangements, 9–5 schedules
Matrix structure
Rapid pace with constant change
Culture of innovation and creativity
Virtual teams
Exposure to latest technologies and equipment
Flexible arrangements, remote work, flexible schedules/hours
Highly collaborative environment (cross-functional teams)
20Kelly Global Workforce Index®
In order to prosper, firms in the financial
services sector need to attract the best
talent from around the globe.
And, to do this, they need to understand
the attributes that are attractive to
prospective employees.
The KGWI shows that organization type,
size, location, and managerial structure all
carry weight when employees are deciding
where to work, and have a direct bearing on
remuneration and other benefits on offer.
Most candidates might not appreciate
these factors from the outside, and
many organizations don’t use them
as a selling point.
A culture that is collaborative, creative,
team-oriented, and focused on leading-
edge technologies may well be a strong
point of difference.
There are certain things that employers can
do to better understand and leverage their
position in the market:
• Conduct an employee “attraction” test
that will identify the organization’s appeal
in terms of its type, size, location, track
record, and organizational structure.
• Undertake an audit of the organization’s
“non-work” features that could be
attractive to employees and candidates,
and consider how they could be
embedded in the employment offering.
• Encourage employees to identify
particular interests, such as lifestyle,
family, recreational or other pursuits that
CONCLUSION
Looking in the mirrormay provide an opportunity to inject
flexibility into the work schedule.
• Harness the organization’s positive
features to extend the recruiting footprint
to cities, regions, or even countries where
in-demand skills may be more plentiful.
21Kelly Global Workforce Index®
How Kelly can helpKelly Services aims to understand the factors that drive the recruitment process
and deliver insights that help every employer source the best talent.
Understanding employees’ varying
motivations and employers’ needs
is a critical element in this. We know
that just as employers have different
requirements, employees bring their
own values, styles, and requirements.
One of the important aspects highlighted
by the KGWI survey is the diversity
of views among talent regarding the
most desirable places to work, as well
as distinct preferences for particular
organizational styles and types.
Kelly’s global presence, knowledge, and
experience helps employers to better
appreciate these traits and enables
organizations and employees to achieve
the optimum fit.
Knowledge of local markets, industry
sectors, and skills availability is crucial.
In a world where talent is increasingly
mobile, it is more important than ever
to reach into markets and regions where
skills can be harnessed to maximize
productivity and profitability.
22Kelly Global Workforce Index™
ABOUT THE KELLY GLOBAL WORKFORCE INDEX
The KGWI is an annual global survey revealing opinions about work and the workplace.
Approximately 230,000 people across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions responded
to the survey. The survey was conducted online by RDA Group on behalf of Kelly Services.
EXIT
An Equal Opportunity Employer. © 2014 Kelly Services
kellyservices.com
ABOUT KELLY SERVICES®
Kelly Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: KELYA, KELYB) is a leader in providing workforce solutions.
Kelly® offers a comprehensive array of outsourcing and consulting services as well as
world-class staffing on a temporary, temporary-to-hire, and direct-hire basis. Serving clients
around the globe, Kelly provided employment to approximately 540,000 employees in 2013.
Revenue in 2013 was $5.4 billion. Visit kellyservices.com and connect with us on Facebook,
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