Don’t doubt our loyalty: Employees want to stay 5+ years

Don’t doubt our loyalty: Employees want to stay 5+ years, so it’s up to bosses to look after them

Two-thirds of New Zealanders want to stay with an employer for more than five years, according to a poll of 1,084 New Zealanders by recruiting experts Hays. With employees ready and willing to remain loyal Hays says the onus is on employers to look after their staff, since loyalty and continuous skills and career development should be mutually inclusive.

The survey found that 66 per cent of New Zealanders believe in job loyalty and are prepared to stay more than five years with an employer. Almost one quarter (23 per cent) said they’ll stay up to five years, meaning they’ll have at least two jobs each decade of their career. The final 11 per cent like to change employers every one to two years.

“Most New Zealanders at heart do believe in job loyalty,” said Jason Walker, Managing Director of Hays in New Zealand. “The job for life mentality is long gone, but so too is the mindset of job hopping regularly. Today a large percentage of us want to stay with our employer for five years or more suggesting that, for most of us at least, stability, security and loyalty are important.

“Given this, it’s up to employers to ensure they create the environment in which employees can remain. After all, people want to stay with their employer long term, but they also want their careers to continue to develop and thrive.

“This means employers need to provide all staff with ongoing training and development, regular reviews and promotional opportunities. They also need to deliver what they promised in the recruitment process so that the reality of working at their organisation matches what they promoted when they were attracting top talent.

“As long as staff are offered stimulating work and their career continues to advance, most will stay. A lack of career progression is the number one reason people come to us looking for their next job, so we can’t emphasise enough the importance of putting career development plans in place,” he said.

While long tenure has obvious benefits for employers, there are also benefits to be gained for employees. “Apart from demonstrating your loyalty – which is a quality that will serve you well when you do eventually enter the job market again – long-term employees are usually rewarded through additional benefits and internal promotions, while their opinions are valued and sought out by others in the organisation,” Jason said.

But Jason says it is also important to recognise when it’s time to move on. “If your current employer is not offering you opportunities to develop and advance your career, and you feel stale and bored in your existing role, it might be time to explore your options in the job market. Loyalty is a noble quality, but it should not be at the expense of your own career advancement. Employers need to make sure the two go hand in hand,” he said.

The poll was conducted on www.hays.net.nz between August and October 2015.

Hays, the world’s leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people.

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