82% India’s workforce considering changing their jobs in 2022: LinkedIn

Despite the pandemic, India’s workforce is optimistic about the future of work, and 82% are considering changing their jobs in 2022, according to a new research by LinkedIn.

The job-seeker research further reveals that the Great Reshuffle in India is being led by freshers with up to 1 year of work experience (94%) and Gen Z professionals (87%), who are more likely to consider changing jobs in 2022.

Based on the responses of 1,111 professionals in India, the survey shows that professionals are leaving their current jobs due to poor work-life balance (30%), not enough money (28%), or greater career ambitions (23%). When looking for new roles in the new year, professionals in India say flexible working arrangements will be top priority.

Professionals are optimistic about the future of work, but 7 in 10 still doubt their own mettle. LinkedIn’s research reveals that professionals in India are confident about their job roles (45%), careers (45%), and overall job availability (38%) getting better in 2022. In fact, 86% of professionals in India say they are confident about the strength of their professional networks as they enter into the new year looking for new job opportunities.   

But despite this confident outlook towards the future work, the survey also uncovers India’s emotional ambivalence as 71% of professionals said they question their abilities at work more now than before the pandemic, while 63% said they suffered from imposter syndrome. This self-doubt seems to be a “byproduct” of working in isolation for nearly two years as 33% of professionals said the pandemic has negatively impacted their confidence at work. 

Findings show that lack of face-to-face support from supervisors and peers (40%), having to take on new responsibilities (34%), and having to use more technology (31%) are the top 3 work stressors for professionals in India.

The top reasons that can convince professionals in India to stay with their current employer in 2022 include better salary (42%), more appreciation (36%), and improved work-life balance (34%). But findings also indicate a glaring disparity in the perception of men and women towards how they are being compensated by their current employers today.

According to the survey, working women (37%) are 1.3 times more likely to quit their current job due to poor work-life balance, when compared to working men (28%). They are also more likely (49%) to say they will remain with their current employer if they get better pay, when compared to working men (39%). “This may be a wake-up call for employers to revisit their compensation benefits and ensure more inclusivity through their offerings,” LinkedIn said.

IT, healthcare, and business development roles dominate this year’s Jobs on the Rise 2022 India list. With businesses looking to further evolve their digital footprint in 2022, the list spotlights a growing demand for highly skilled IT workers (Site Reliability Engineer, Data Science Specialist, Machine Learning Engineer) and business development talent (Affiliate Marketing Specialist, Business Development Representative, Strategy Associate). The list also reveals that the healthcare sector is looking to fill vacancies for Wellness Specialists and Molecular Biologists who can mitigate the covid-19 crisis and help businesses and communities to shelter from the pandemic.

“The pandemic has spurred people to rethink their careers and look for new job opportunities to meet their renewed purpose and priorities in life. As confidence in new opportunities grows, it is evident that the Great Reshuffle in India is clearly being led by job seekers, and talent is in the driver’s seat right now — with flexibility as their no. 1 priority today. Our Jobs on the Rise list shows that the demand for tech savvy talent is growing hotter across the IT, healthcare, and business development sectors,” Ankit Vengurlekar, India managing editor, LinkedIn News. 

To help them navigate today’s evolving world of work, LinkedIn has launched the ‘Jobs Bootcamp’ program of content, live events, and Learning courses on LinkedIn to help job seekers with job-seeking tips and career advice from experts.