SME employees worried about job security

A new survey reveals 67% of Australians are worried about their job security – and employees of small and medium companies are the most concerned. A new survey reveals 67% of Australians are worried about their job security – and employees of small and medium companies are the most concerned.

The annual employee satisfaction and motivation survey by online job site Seek was taken in August, but a an update was rushed through in response to the changing economic climate.

The survey shows 59% of respondents feel less secure in their employment than this time last year, a jump from 31% in August. Seek says its data also indicates employees in SMEs with less than 200 workers are the most worried.

The results also show 71% of Australians believe it will take them longer to find a job now than a year ago, compared to just 32% in August.

A whopping 14% say they are worried about losing their job, up from 4% in August.

Happiness levels are also being affected, with just 22% of respondents labeling themselves as happy with their work, down from 27% in August.

Australians are also staying put in their jobs, with 50% of respondents saying they will “keep their eyes open,” down from 55%.

Seek joint managing director Paul Bassat says the numbers are “very scary”.

“We’ve been doing the survey for six years, and numbers have stayed fairly consistent. When we did the survey in August we saw a spike, and then in light of the economic fallout we re-surveyed a further 2000 people and we saw this massive jump.”

“To be frank, we’re all on the internet, we’re all reading the newspaper – we’re not immune and we all understand that, and confidence is affected by that.”

While Bassat says 67% of Australians worrying about job security is a huge number, he says not everyone thinks they’re going to be made redundant.

“I think it does mean they think it’s a possibility or likelihood. We’re not saying that everyone’s going to lose their job, I think what these survey results reflect is that people are smart and savvy, and they’re aware that it’s going to get worse before it gets better.”