Work’s not just a cash relationship anymore.
It has become more like a value-based marriage, with prospective partners matching views on lifestyle and the world becoming far more important.
As recently as a decade ago, money and advancement were prospective employee’s main concerns, but all that has changed, said headhunter Kieran Longworth with Lock Search Group, and now, spending time with family and working for a reputable employer whose value systems are closer to their own have increased impetus in the job search market.
“There’s no question that value concerns are a bigger component to the labour market than ever before,” said Longworth, noting in his 17 years in the business of matchmaking employers and employees he’s witnessed a massive paradigm shift that probably peaked two years ago but shows no signs of disappearing.
“People now put a higher premium on values than they did then. They’ll only put up with so much before they say, ‘Screw this,’ I’m out of here,” he said.
And companies have changed their tune as well.
Companies used to come to Longworth in search of an individual with certain accomplishments, certain skills and wouldn’t even consider someone unless they had been with their former company for 10-15 years.
“They’re not stable otherwise, that was their point,” Longworth said. “Now they look at it and say they’ve been with the same company for 10 years, what’s wrong with them, so they still value stability, they just don’t look at it the same way as they used to.”
