And employers are responding. They really don't have a choice. In addition to the job surplus, today employees are smarter job seekers. They are savvy about using the Internet to research job information, which ultimately can help them make more strategic career decisions. In 2000 alone, more than 156 million people visited online career sites.
Employees are also no longer willing to put loyalty above personal job satisfaction.
With the luxury of low unemployment and more job opportunities, employees can make personal balance and flexibility more of a priority in their job. With increased global competition and intense market conditions, employers are under extreme pressure. They need to retain and hire the right talent to sustain and grow their businesses, while cutting costs and increasing profits. And it is costly to lose an employee. These costs, combined with the standard operational expenses of salary, benefits, and office space reinforce the need for employers to value their talent.