What’s really driving career choices in Jersey? A new survey by a local recruitment firm has shed light on what islanders are looking for in their next role – and reveals the differences in priorities between men and women.
New research by Kendrick Rose has shown that the top priorities for candidates in considering new jobs were company culture and flexible working, with benefits and pay ranked as far less important.
But the weighting of these priorities differed between men and women.
Women give greater rating to flexible working in jobs, while men gave greater weighting to company culture, package and pay.
The research found:
- 46% of women surveyed prioritised flexible working in their jobs compared with only 19% of men
- 14% of men prioritising pay as compared with 8% of women
- 53% of men prioritised company culture as compared with 36% of women
- 14% of men prioritised package as compared with 10% of women
The findings followed a poll run by Kendrick Rose – the results of which were “quite close” to the last one, “with a softening of last year’s spike towards company culture”, according to Managing Director Shelley Kendrick.
“For the first time we are also including a breakdown of the gender profile of participants, which shows a significant difference in priorities for candidates. Women clearly want flexible working, and this is a factor employers need to be mindful about,” Ms Kendrick commented.
The results come amid a positive backdrop for local employment.
The Island’s Labour Market reports for December 2024 revealed a 0.8% increase in jobs locally compared with December 2023 – with Jersey reaching a record number of jobs overall.
As of January this year, 81% of the working-age population in Jersey were in employment, whereas in the UK, the employment rate for people aged 16–64 stood at 75.1% in April this year.
Meanwhile, salaries in Jersey rose by 7.2% in the year to October 2024, with wage growth outpacing inflation.
Quality of work life is a decisive factor, and employers need to offer the best environment
Managing Director Shelley Kendrick
“While jobs growth has slowed in the private sector, the talent pool for many highly skilled jobs remains small,” Ms Kendick observed.
“Channel Island professionals want roles that align with their lifestyles and values – and when competition for high-calibre people is there, it’s no longer enough to offer the best salary.
“Quality of work life is a decisive factor, and employers need to offer the best environment.”