In an online survey ran by JobStreet.com recently, job seekers were asked to rank 10 factors that would motivate them most to stay in their present jobs. Not surprisingly, it is still very much a material world as a good salary was, without a doubt, the top motivating factor spurring 19 percent of the 1000-plus job seekers surveyed nation-wide.

Overall, the top five motivating factors selected by the respondents who ranged from senior managers to non-managers were:

1	Good salary	19%
2	Job flexibility, creativity and interesting work	14%
3	Balance between work and family needs	14%
4	Career advancement and growth in company	13%
5	Work conditions and environment	9%

Job flexibility and the opportunity to exercise one’s creativity were also very important motivating factors among the respondents, chosen by 14 percent of them. There was also a need to strike a balance between work and family needs. Another main motivator for people to stay in their jobs was the opportunities for career advancement and growth.

It was observed among the respondents in senior management positions (about seven percent of the respondents) that a good salary was not necessarily top-most in their minds. Having already reached their present positions in their employment, they considered the job itself as what motivated and interested them most.

Job flexibility, creativity and the work they do were the factors that spurred them along the most. While career advancement and work-life balance continued to be important to them, what also counted as a priority for the senior managers was the need for their contributions to be recognized and appreciated by their companies and peers.

In terms of job satisfaction, an overwhelming 68 percent of all the job seekers polled considered that they were generally satisfied with their present jobs.

In particular, about 18 percent of the senior managers said they were very satisfied with their work, which tied in with how job flexibility and creativity featured largely as their motivating factors. A further 58 percent said they were somewhat satisfied with their jobs. JobStreet.com also asked them whether they were more satisfied today than a year ago and 55 percent of this same group of senior management staff responded with a yes while 26 percent claimed that their job satisfaction levels were unchanged.

About 11 percent of managers and eight percent of the non-managers said they were very satisfied with their jobs. Most of the job seekers polled – 63 percent of managers and 57% of non-managers – said they were somewhat satisfied, while 27 percent of managers and 36 percent of non-managers admitted that their job satisfaction levels could be better.

Compared with the 55 percent of senior managers who said they were more satisfied today than a year ago, 49 percent of managers and 52 percent of non-managers agreed with this statement. In the survey, JobStreet.com recorded 29 percent of managers and 26 percent of non-managers who said they were less satisfied than a year ago.

SUMMARY

SENIOR MANAGERIAL POSITIONS
Job flexibility, creativity & interesting work	15%
Good salary	15%
Career advancement/growth in company	13%
Balance between work & family needs	13%
Recognition & appreciation of work done	12%

MANAGERIAL POSITIONS
Good salary	20%
Career advancement/growth in company	15%
Balance between work & family needs	15%
Job flexibility, creativity & interesting work	12%
Recognition & appreciation of work done	9%

NON-MANAGERIAL POSITIONS
Good salary	19%
Job flexibility, creativity & interesting work	14%
Balance between work & family needs	13%
Career advancement/growth in company	13%
Work conditions & environment	9%

Job Satisfaction Level - Today
	All Respondents	Senior Managerial	Managerial	Non-managerial
Yes, very satisfied	10%	18%	11%	8%
Yes, somewhat satisfied	58%	58%	63%	57%
No, somewhat dissatisfied	29%	22%	25%	31%
No, very dissatisfied	4%	3%	2%	5%

Job Satisfaction Level - One Year Ago
	All Respondents	Senior Managerial	Managerial	Non-managerial
Much more satisfied	18%	31%	17%	16%
Somewhat more satisfied	35%	24%	32%	36%
Same as a year ago	22%	26%	22%	22%
Somewhat less satisfied	19%	14%	23%	18%
Much less satisfied	7%	5%	6%	8%