Despite the greater availability of education and an increasing emphasis on meaningful work, many employees in Croatia, as well as in other European countries, continue to contemplate changing jobs, as revealed by an international study conducted by Alma Career, known in Croatia for the brand MojPosao.
Through the Paylab platform, the study explored whether employees find meaning in what they do, how much employers invest in their development, and to what extent they consider changing their workplace. The research included over 11,000 respondents from eight countries – Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia.
According to the research published on Thursday, 60 percent of respondents in the observed countries find their jobs interesting, 52 percent have the opportunity to apply their skills and knowledge in daily tasks, 46 percent see a deeper meaning in their work, and 41 percent believe that the tasks assigned to them help in their professional advancement.
In Croatia, the situation is similar, with 59 percent of workers perceiving their jobs as challenging and attractive, while 41 percent find purpose in what they do. Additionally, 48 percent of employees state that daily tasks allow them to apply their skills and qualifications, and 36 percent believe that these tasks assist them in their professional development.
However, the desire for change still exists. More than half of the participants in the study claim they would consider a new job if a better opportunity were offered, and one in three is seriously contemplating changing employers.
When it comes to Croatia, 55 percent of employees admit they would consider changing jobs if they received an interesting offer, while more than a third, 37 percent, are seriously thinking about moving to another position.
Better-paid employees are more engaged
The research also shows that better-paid employees feel more engaged, utilize their skills more effectively, and are less likely to seriously consider changing jobs compared to those with lower incomes. However, even among them, nearly half would choose to leave if a better opportunity arose.
In Croatia, among low-wage workers, 50 percent are actively seeking new jobs, 42 percent find their jobs interesting, while only 28 percent find purpose and deeper meaning in their work.
The research indicates that education has become an integral part of the modern work environment, with more than 56 percent of workers surveyed having undergone training or professional development funded by their employer in the past six months. In Croatia, this proportion is slightly lower, with less than half, or 48 percent of workers participating in educational programs.
Employees in Croatia generally accept professional development programs with enthusiasm, with 43 percent of respondents stating that they fully or mostly utilize the offered training, 32 percent participate occasionally, 14 percent rarely, while 11 percent do not take advantage of opportunities for professional development at all.
As expected, the higher the level of education of employees, the greater their motivation for further training and advancement.
Additionally, nearly half of the employees who participated in the research view training not only as an obligation to their employer but also as an opportunity to develop new skills and open new career possibilities. This approach is particularly pronounced in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where nearly 60 percent of employees invest in education to improve their chances for advancement.
In Croatia, 47 percent of workers use education to get closer to more interesting jobs and a better future, 37 percent participate to keep up with their colleagues, while 16 percent attend courses and professional development exclusively due to employer requirements, the research showed.
