Almost half (47%) of European respondents cite pay and remuneration as their biggest motivator at work, according to research by HR management software and services organisation ADP.
The workforce view in Europe 2017 report, which surveyed 9,920 working adults across France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland and the UK, also found that 28% of respondents identify a good work-life balance as a top motivating factor at work.
The research also found:
- 19% of respondents are motivated at work by praise and recognition from management and 18% are motivated by holiday allowances.
- 49% of male respondents are motivated by pay, compared to 44% of female respondents.
- 31% of female respondents are motivated by work-life balance, compared to 25% of male respondents.
- 65% of respondents in Poland name pay and remuneration as a top motivating factor in the workplace, compared to 40% of respondents in Spain.
- A third (33%) of respondents in the UK view work-life balance as the biggest motivator at work.
- 84% of all respondents believe they have a good work-life balance, rising to 87% of respondents in Switzerland and 86% of respondents in the Netherlands.
- 19% of respondents in Poland say they do not have a good work-life balance.
- 73% of respondents experience stress at least once a month, and 16% endure stress daily or are stressed so often that they are considering finding another job.
- 20% of respondents expect their HR department to support them with compensation and benefits, 22% expect HR to support their health and wellbeing, and 17% think HR should focus on managing workplace culture.
Jeff Phipps (pictured), managing director at ADP UK, said: “With the war for talent and broadening skills gaps being key challenges across the continent, it is essential businesses and governments work to ensure a more international workforce can be accommodated and its benefits understood and appreciated by the endemic population.
“Encouraging cross-border movement of talent, while employing people from diverse backgrounds, is crucial for ensuring global competitiveness by accessing critical skills. Integrating that diversity into the workforce is important and can, if done well, form an additional means of stimulating engagement.”