Seven out of 10 New Zealanders are looking for new jobs this year and they might not have too far to look, judging from survey results from Australia yesterday.
The latest Seek satisfaction and motivation survey found 70% of New Zealanders were looking for new jobs, although details of how many people were surveyed were not released with the results.
The footnote said the 2010 survey had about 4000 respondents, representing a diverse range of New Zealand employees.
Across the Tasman, the number of job vacancies nationally rose last year in a further sign the Australian economy was strengthening after the global financial crisis, AAP reported.
Job agency IPA Recruitment said the number of job vacancies rose 3.2% in 2010 compared to 2009, with food, transport and logistics experiencing strong demand.
IPA recruitment chief executive Tricia Phillips said the Australian employment market would remain volatile in 2011.
"In 2010 we hit some peaks in confidence but as fast as we became confident, we became cautious again," she said.
Seek senior executive Helen Souness said her research showed the driving forces behind whether New Zealanders stayed or strayed from a job were driven by how satisfied and motivated they felt.
Money was not the main reason for employee dissatisfaction, but rather contending with poor management and a lack of clear direction.
"Most people are looking for their managers to be supportive, approachable, demonstrate their appreciation and provide opportunities for growth within the organisation."
Employee happiness was a direct product of a positive work environment, where there was a strong focus on building company culture, workplace morale and a commitment to train and develop staff, she said.
Of those employees who were happy, 68% said they were willing to raise their productivity because they felt motivated by their employer.
The most common reason New Zealanders gave for leaving their last job was for a new challenge.
Next on the list was feeling unappreciated.
Middle-income earners and young females, in particular, were looking to advance to the next step in their career.
Those from the "baby boomer" generation reported they were seeking validation for their efforts.
Salary did play a factor when deciding on a change, as many job seekers chose to chase higher-paying jobs rather than negotiate a pay rise with their current employer.
The strength of the Australian economy could again stimulate New Zealanders to head across the Tasman to find jobs.
Australian official capital expenditure data for the September quarter in 2010 showed resources investment rose 15.5% from the previous quarter, suggesting exports from mining and energy were about to rise even further.
The same report showed investment in other industries shifting back to neutral.
Ms Phillips expected mining and associated industries to be the main drivers for jobs growth in 2011.
"Australia is a resources-rich country and this will continue to be our strength this year."
Ms Phillips said IPA Recruitment was already seeing strong signs through the number of permanent hires in January.
Employers had pre-planned in December, allowing newly hired workers to hit the ground running in the new year.
The IPA employment snapshot tracks the employment market through job advertisements.
