From remote work to the four-day week, the workplace is a very different place compared to pre-pandemic times.
But what is the current state of play? Is remote work still the preferred mode for the majority of employees? Is work-life balance and reduced working hours more valuable than a higher salary?
These are the kind of questions* we asked as part of the Jobbio Work Happy Index 2024 survey.
Are you a TWaT?
Whether you work one day in the office or you’re a TWaT (Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays) hybrid worker, and bookend your working week at home, the majority of those who combine remote and in-office working are required to work set days stipulated by their employer.
Our survey found that 38.72% of workers have been mandated to work more days in-office compared to last year, however the majority (61.28%) have not.
Additionally, 24.51% have in-office days that are mandated by their company, 19.65% choose the same days each week, while only 15.37% have the freedom to change up their days as they choose.
Under the weather
Thanks to climate change, extreme weather conditions are sadly now a part and parcel of daily life for many people.
In fact, some employers have had to adapt their ways of working due to climate-related risks impacting staff.
While most workers are well-seasoned and prepared for inclement weather, 58.17% of survey respondents said they would rather not commute to the office when the weather is bad compared to 22.18% who shared that if they’ve committed to being in the office for the day, the weather wouldn’t stop them in their tracks.
Is Thursday the new Friday?
With the concept of the four-day working week replacing the traditional five-day week gaining traction globally thanks to the 4 Day Week pilot scheme, which has seen companies in the UK, US, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland and Portugal adopt reduced working weeks with no change in pay, we asked our respondents how much value a four-day week would be to them.
Turns out, everyone has their price and while the four-day week trials mentioned above had no change in pay, the vast majority of people (68.29%) wouldn’t be prepared to move to a four-day week if it meant a 20% reduction in salary.
Digital mix
Ever since ChatGPT burst onto the scene in November 2023, AI—and its impact on jobs—has been a hot topic.
AI tools are increasingly being adopted in workplaces and even during the recruitment process, with over 98.8% of Fortune 500 companies, 66% of large companies, and 35% of small organisations using ATS (applicant tracking systems) to weed out CVs that are deemed unsuitable.
However, the majority (59.14%) of our survey respondents do not use AI tools, such as ChatGPT or Google Gemini in their day-to-day jobs.
Similarly, 57.59% have not used an AI tool, such as CV Builder, to help them write their CVs or cover letters when applying for jobs.
The great cover letter debate
Does the sight of a job application asking you for a cover letter elicit an audible sigh? Or maybe you fall into the pro-cover letter camp and relish the opportunity to reinforce your skills and experience in a different format.
According to our research, it’s a 50/50 split with 50.19% saying cover letters are still relevant and 49.81% answering that they don’t see the point in cover letters.
Employees with benefits
While salary remains one of the main drivers in attracting talent, benefits and company values are also increasingly important.
An employer pension contribution is the most popular employee benefit (34.05%), followed by strong DE&I (diversity and inclusion) policies (31.70%), and positive environmental and climate policies (27.40%).
Subsidised childcare was the least popular choice with only 6.85% of respondents listing it as their number one choice.
And when it comes to share or equity options, most people (59.14%) aren’t risk takers and would prefer a flat salary, rather than take equity in the company and €5,000 less salary a year.
Mind the gap
Once upon a time, telling someone how much you earned was considered not only a social faux pas, but a professional one too.
Even worse? Asking someone how much they earned.
However, in recent years there’s been a cultural—and legislative—shift around pay transparency and discussing how much you earn is now seen as empowering and something to be encouraged.
Additionally, in the U.S., several states including California and New York have made it illegal to post a job vacancy without stipulating the salary in an effort to give more transparency around pay.
There are many benefits to knowing what your colleagues earn: pay transparency results in a more collaborative and motivated workforce, while additional research from Gartner has identified that candidates are more likely to want to work for companies that are transparent around pay.
Our data also aligns with these findings and 61.28% of workers would like to know what their colleagues are earning.
Want to access more career insights? Check out our Cheat Sheet series which includes advice on how to write your best ever CV, how to approach a cover letter, and what the different interview stages really mean.
*Methodology
We evaluated survey respondents from our database of working professionals. Our goal is to identify attitudes around working models, benefits, AI and job applications in 2024.
Our findings from 514 individuals surveyed in May 2024 has provided insights for this report.
