Research from Robert Half finds that employees of all generations are open to making a career change, though Gen Z workers are much more willing to move into a new professional path.
By Maggie Mancini
Having one career path throughout one’s professional journey is a concept of the past as more than half of Australian workers (56%) are willing to switch careers in the next year, according to research from Robert Half.
Current roles do not meet the career goals nor suit the lifestyle requirements of 56% of workers who are willing to change careers in the next 12 months. Despite this, 44% of employees are not willing to shift or risk a change at this stage of their careers.
Employees of all generations indicate they are open to a career change. Unsurprisingly, the younger the employee, the more likely they are to switch careers. Gen Z workers are the most willing for a change, with almost two-thirds (62%) keen to move into a new career. This is followed by millennials (61%), Gen X (59%), and baby boomers (57%).
However, there is a significant difference in willingness for change between employees in different states. Victorian workers (62%) are much more willing to shift into a new career than their counterparts in New South Wales (56%), Western Australia (54%), and Queensland (52%).
Of those who are willing to change careers, 56% of them want to do so to improve their work-life balance, followed by the desire to increase their earning potential (51%). However, there are generational differences as career and life priorities naturally shift during a worker’s lifetime. The older generations are generally prioritising work-life balance while the youngest generation has put financial motives at the top.
