This is what 52,000 people think about the future of work

Colleagues greet each other in an office. [Getty Images]

The Great Resignation is set to continue, according to the result of a new survey by consultancy firm PwC.

The survey of 52,195 workers in 44 countries and territories suggests that one of the biggest post-pandemic trends for the future of work is set to continue, with one-in-five workers saying they’re likely to switch to a new employer in the next 12 months.

The survey also found that 35 per cent of employees plan to ask for a raise in the next year.

The Great Resignation continues

So what’s driving workers to seek opportunities elsewhere?

The PwC survey about the future of work found that pay is the key driver for people seeking a new employer, with nearly three-quarters of those asked naming this as a factor.

Also on people’s list of reasons was wanting a fulfilling job (69 per cent) and wanting to truly be themselves at work (66 per cent).

Compared to those who have no intention of moving, those who are looking to move are 14 percentage points less likely to find their jobs fulfilling, 11 percentage points less likely to feel they can truly be their self at work and nine percentage points less likely to feel fairly rewarded financially.

The gender gap persists

This survey about the future of work also suggests some polarisation of global workforces.

Women were less likely than men to say they were fairly financially rewarded, but also less likely to ask for a raise.

Add to that the fact women are less likely to feel like their manager will listen to them and a picture of gender differences is clear.

“It is bad for society and bad for business when there is a failure to ensure women have the same opportunities as men to develop their skills and careers,” said Pete Brown, Co-Leader of PwC’s Global People and Organisation services.

“One of the quickest ways to strengthen the workforce is to ensure women are not overlooked - which means addressing the culture, systems and structures that can lead to women losing out.”

It’s a picture that was mirrored in the latest World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap report.

The 2021 edition found that the Economic Participation and Opportunity gap remains the second-largest globally and is set to take 267.6 years to close.

The future of hybrid work

Nearly two-thirds of respondents whose jobs are possible remotely said they prefer a mix of in-person and remote working - a figure that hasn’t changed since last year.

Just 11 per cent would prefer a return to full-time in-person work, while 18 per cent say their employers are likely to require it.

However, nearly half of those surveyed said it wasn’t possible to do their job remotely (45 per cent).