Media Centre

Plateau Systems

Master List

Plateau Systems UK Ltd
Royal Albert House, Sheet Street, Windsor, Berks, SL4 1BE
tel 01753 705006; fax 01753 831541; www.plateau.com

Media Contact:
Wendy Werve
Plateau Systems
001-703-292-0381

Wendy.werve@plateau.com

17th March 2011

Plateau survey reveals London workers most dissatisfied

London-based workers are the most dissatisfied with their lot and are open to job offers - citing salary and career opportunities as reasons for moving on.

A recent nationwide survey of over 2,000 UK workers conducted by YouGov on behalf of Plateau Systems reveals that, while over 60 per cent of workers in every other region in the UK said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their jobs, only 49 per cent of workers in London said the same. London workers topped the list of those workers who were most dissatisfied with their jobs (29%).

Workers in Scotland and Wales had the highest job satisfaction levels (73% and 67% respectively) and the lowest dissatisfaction levels (18% and 13% respectively).

The survey found that, although overall job satisfaction among UK workers was high (62%), a large majority (72%) of employed full time/part time & not self-employed workers would consider a new job opportunity if approached.

Despite experiencing years of deep recession marked by widespread redundancies, benefit reductions, and pay cuts, the survey indicates that most workers in the UK are satisfied or very satisfied with their current employment (62%) and fewer than one in five have an updated profile or CV/resume on a job board or networking site such as LinkedIn or Monster. This is true even among highly-skilled professionals (ABC1).

But despite this, there is a large majority of passive job seekers lurking. Workers surveyed say they would consider a new job or career opportunity if approached, even if they’re not actively looking (72%) – and the percentage is even higher among skilled professionals (ABC1), at 74 per cent.

The survey further reveals that the desire for higher salary (46%), career and/or advancement opportunities (27%) or general change (27%) are the top three reasons cited by workers as the reason they are actively and passively job hunting. Active job seekers cite career and/or advancement opportunities as the number one reason for looking (42%).

Jeff Kristick, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Plateau, commented: 'The large percentage of passive job seekers represented by this survey shows that employers need to get a clear view of their workforce as the economy improves and they must be proactive in raising the level of employee engagement. While many might be satisfied just to have a job when their neighbors do not, we could see a tipping point emerge where passive seekers become active very quickly.'

Kristick continued: 'It was also interesting to see how consistent the responses were when compared with the results of our survey in the US. This is clearly a global issue.'

In this environment, HR leaders have the opportunity make a significant impact on workers’ perceptions, if not the reality of their circumstances. One way they can do this is by giving a high priority to putting in place career and development programmes - for example, ensuring that employees have a career plan in place that gives them a clear picture of their future with the firm.

HR can also play a role in providing greater transparency around what it takes to meet advancement opportunities - for example, by establishing position-based competencies. Additionally, linking pay to performance can help ensure that top-performing and high-potential employees are fairly compensated and, thus, are less likely to jump when a competing firm comes calling.

End

For full details of the survey, contact Bob Little Press & PR (01727 860405/ bob.little@boblittlepr.com)

Regional figures 

Methodology

This survey has been conducted using an online interview administered members of the YouGov Plc GB panel of 185,000+ individuals who have agreed to take part in surveys. An email was sent to panellists selected at random from the base sample according to the sample definition, inviting them to take part in the survey and providing a link to the survey. (The sample definition could be 'GB adult population' or a subset such as 'GB adult females'). YouGov Plc normally achieves a response rate of between 35% and 50% to surveys. However this does vary, dependent upon the subject matter, complexity and length of the questionnaire. The responding sample is weighted to the profile of the sample definition to provide a representative reporting sample. The profile is normally derived from census data or, if not available from the census, from industry accepted data.

About Plateau

Plateau is a leading provider of adaptable web-based software for developing, managing and optimising organisational talent to increase workforce productivity and business performance.

Plateau's software is being used by some of the world's largest, most successful enterprises, including the American Red Cross, General Electric, Internal Revenue Service, and Wendy's International.

Industry analysts, including Forrester Research and Bersin & Associates, have rated Plateau a leader in functionality, technology, and customer satisfaction. The company is based in Arlington, Virginia, in the USA.

For more information, visit www.plateau.com

Further information from:

Don Hernandez, Plateau Systems, 01753 705006/ 00 49 (173) 320 4807
Wendy Werve, Plateau Systems, 00 1 703 292 0381; Wendy.werve@plateau.com

Bob Little, Bob Little Press & PR, 01727 860405