The pandemic has affected pretty much everyone’s working life, even forcing many to rethink their career. In the last couple of months Keepmeposted put a few polls out there to see what the general feeling about work and the workplace is. Each poll was conducted across three platforms: Facebook, Linkedin and Instagram. Here are the findings, plus some food for thought.

Would you work if you didn’t have to earn a living?

Despite the oft-talked about dreams of making millions, retiring early and spending the rest of your life travelling / drinking cocktails on a beach / watching Netflix all day / other, (tick whichever applies), it seems that in actual fact 69.7% of participants would choose to continue working even if they didn’t need the money.

Only on Instagram was the vote 50%-50%. Could it be because Instagram is a younger platform whose followers haven’t been in the workplace long enough to appreciate the value that work can give beyond monetary? Undoubtedly, the younger generation have different priorities, so possibly the thought of having all the money they need and all the time to spend it could seem very appealing.

On Facebook and Linkedin, the answer was an unequivocal Yes. However, it is unclear whether they would keep doing what they do, or change job. So the next question is, would they continue to work because they love what they do or because work in itself gives them a sense of purpose and self. The second poll sheds some light on this.

Would you take a pay cut if it meant doing the job of your dreams?

Again in this poll the answer was an unwavering Yes, with an overwhelming 78.9% claiming that they would take a pay cut to do the job of their dreams. Just like the previous poll, the results on Instagram were 50% – 50%  reinforcing the notion that money is the primary driving force for half Keepmeposted’s Instagram followers. Or could it be that perhaps they are already doing what they love? On the other hand, we see that for Facebook and LinkedIn followers money is secondary, just as we saw in the previous poll.

These results imply that the majority of participants are in fact not doing a job they love. The question is why? Salary is clearly not the issue so is it because they are not qualified for it? Could it be that it’s difficult to find openings, or even that they don’t know where to start looking?

Is office location an important factor to consider when looking for a job?

Surprisingly, (or not?) the answer to this one was a resounding Yes as 84.9% of participants agreed across all platforms that office location is definitely a significant consideration when looking for a job. ‘Surprisingly’ because this result is to be expected in larger countries where choosing a job far from home could mean three hours commuting in a day, (and people do it!). Yet on tiny Malta?

So does this mean that if similar jobs were on offer from two different companies, the majority would go with the one which has a more convenient location, regardless of whether or not they share the company’s vision? Are there so many available jobs out there that jobseekers have the luxury to factor in location as a priority? If this wasn’t the case, surely they would just take what’s on offer, regardless…unless the traffic situation is really so soul-destroying that it actually influences people’s job choices!

Well, if the trend of hybrid working sticks, then this will hopefully no longer be an issue to consider.

Do you still feel the need to take time off when working remotely?

Various international studies conducted in the past year have shown that people are not taking as much leave and time off as they used to. The reasons quite possibly are that they simply have nowhere to go because of Covid-19 and also, working from home can blur the lines.

Nevertheless, this seems not to be the case amongst participants in Keepmeposted polls as 88.9% agreed that they still feel the need to take time off when working from home. Several participants commented that there is no difference between working from the office and working from home.

It seems like most feel very strongly about maintaining a work-life balance and that time off is not just for taking holidays, but also for the sake of well-being.

Do you think employers should cover some costs of remote working?

87.8% of participants agreed that employers should undoubtedly cover some of the costs for employees working remotely. Keep in mind, however, that it is unknown whether the majority of participants are employers or employees. On Facebook, many commented saying that it is only fair for the employer to cover internet costs at the very least, and why should the employee foot that bill if the job requires high-speed internet?

Others said that this should only be the case if you were asked to work from home, but not if it is a choice that you made. A common argument amongst participants who voted against was that the employee is saving on other expenses. o fuel to get to work or lunches, so in reality their daily spend has decreased. After all, many said that having a job should be considered lucky in the current circumstances.

The counter argument to this was that offices are also saving money. No employees in the office means lower water and electricity bills, so that money should go towards facilitating employees to work from home.

Which is the hardest part of the Job Search for you?

The poll gave three options: a) finding a job to apply for? b) Preparing your CV c) The interview. Another unexpected result here as the overall majority of 52.6% claimed that the hardest part of the job search is finding actual jobs to apply for. There are a number of job boards that are all over social media with a variety of active jobs so what’s not matching up?

Maybe the job description is not clear or attractive enough? Or perhaps employers are asking for too much, such as qualifications and experience, where none is strictly needed. On the flipside, it is also possible that candidates are more particular about what they want to do… and are less willing to compromise, expecting all factors to match up to their needs, (such as the location as seen above). If not then the job search is considered to be a fail.

CV writing seems to come easy to most as only an underwhelming 14.1% agreed that this is the hard part. This response makes you wonder whether they do give it the importance that it deserves, and whether they realise that badly written or unattractive CVs are discarded within seconds by hiring managers.

Is your current job related to your studies?

Interestingly, only 45.9% said that their job is related to what they had studied. Could it be because they can’t find an opening in their specialty, so they have to settle for something different? This would explain the results in the second poll, where Keepmeposted found that the majority are not doing the job of their dreams. Alternatively, perhaps it’s a question of salary, whereby the profession / role they had studied for does not pay well enough so they have to find a more lucrative alternative.

Finally, let’s not forget that during the pandemic many lost their jobs and saw their industry take a significant dip. This has forced them to transfer their skills to a different sector or role, so many may have also changed career paths out of necessity.

Are you looking forward to start travelling for business?

The last poll of this series was conducted when talk about the real possibility of travelling again started to pick up. Well, unsurprisingly, the majority can’t wait to start travelling and not just for holidays, but also for business. In fact, 67% agree that relationships are better built in person. So it seems that although communication platforms have helped us to continue working and to keep in touch, many will revert back to their old ways once the pandemic is behind us. Clearly time-management, efficiency and comfort (all helped by conducting virtual meetings) are not good enough reasons to give up in-person meetings!

It is likely that part of the 33% who answered No are still not comfortable with the notion of travelling, following the pandemic. Or, perhaps these participants have had to travel frequently for business previously and welcome a virtual alternative which is now an acceptable replacement. It’s understandable that they would prefer to limit business travel to the truly important meetings whilst using communication platforms for the rest, saving time as well as expenses.

Do you agree with these findings? Keep a look out for the next Keepmeposted Polls!