Vietnam – As the pandemic forced people to work from home, about 73% of Vietnamese workers rate a better work-life balance – such as flexible working, switching-off after hours, and compensation for overtime – as the most important factor when deciding whether or not to accept a new job offer, according to the new insights from modern HR platform Grove HR and public opinion and data firm YouGov.
The report shows that apart from work-life balance, a competitive benefits package, including salaries and bonuses, has ranked second with 73%, while ‘job security’ came third-most important criteria with 69% in 2022.
Grove HR has also found that 49% of people intend to change jobs in 2022, which is a fall of just 2% from the height of the pandemic in 2021. However, companies wishing to attract these workers will need to offer a good financial package, with most people looking for between 10% and 30% more than their current salaries, and only around 11% would consider switching jobs for a rise of less than 10%. On the other hand, about 36% would leave their job if their salaries were cut by 10%, highlighting the challenges of staff retention in the ‘new normal’.
Meanwhile, the ideal workplace has been transformed during the pandemic, as Vietnamese workers now want a flexible work environment, with 40% of people hoping to combine office and remote work in 2022, which compares to 21% who want to return to the office full time and just 16% who want to continue working at home. In addition, Vietnamese workers also care more about their health at work, following the global pandemic. However, most people feel safe returning to work once they, their families, and their colleagues have been vaccinated.
Bao Nguyen, Grove HR’s general manager, shared that attracting new workers now is no longer just about offering attractive salaries, as the staff want more from their jobs, and therefore, managers need to adapt their HR strategies to match the new realities of recruitment post-pandemic.
“Even though the lockdowns are over, trends such as remote and flexible working look set to continue. So companies that want to retain their best and brightest need to invest in the tools and technologies to facilitate a better work-life balance for their staff,” said Nguyen.
Meanwhile, Thue Quist Thomasen, YouGov’s CEO for Vietnam, said, “Our data shows that workers now want to maintain a good work-life balance. Therefore, companies need to offer attractive benefits and incentives while also creating and communicating a positive corporate culture and facilitating a flexible workplace where staff have the option to split their time between home and the office.”
