Which employers do professionals choose in times of crisis?

EY, Kyiv, Ukraine
Thu, March, 10, 2016

Kyiv, March 10. The results of the Best Employer Survey 2015 conducted by EY, showed that personal and professional growth remains a key factor of employer’s attractiveness, same as in 2014. More than 1500 respondents with work experience from various industries took part in the survey. EY expresses its special thanks to HeadHunter Ukraine for their help with conducting online survey among candidates.

What candidates want from employers

Key employer choice criteria and their order of priority remained almost the same as in the previous year. Besides personal and career growth, professional candidates most frequently pay attention to the salary level and company’s market position. Considering the unstable economic situation in the country, respondents mentioned salary level and additional benefits more often (6% and 4% more often compared to 2014). Criteria such as working conditions and work schedule become more popular over years, as more Generation Y employees, who value work-life balance, enter the labor market.

Where candidates want to work

In 2015, candidates independently named more than 800 different companies, which they considered as best employers in Ukraine. In fact, more than 70% of respondents mentioned employers from industries such as IT, FMCG and professional services. At the same time, investment, insurance and law appeared to be the least popular industries.

Traditionally, the list of the most attractive employers consists of large international and Ukrainian companies with well-known corporate and product brands. At the same time, this year’s list includes several new companies from the IT sector. According to professional candidates, the most attractive employers are (in an alphabetical order): Ciklum, Coca-Cola, Google, Japan Tobacco International, Kyivstar, Luxsoft, Microsoft, Nestle, Procter & Gamble and one of the Big 4 audit companies.

Where candidates get information about employers

Internet resources remain the most popular source of information about employers – according to the results of the survey in 2015, they are used by every second respondent. Among the Internet resources, the most frequently mentioned were job portals (75%), followed by the news from the Internet (60%). Moreover, compared to the previous year, respondents mentioned corporate websites less often while social networks were more frequently mentioned.

Besides the Internet resources, professional candidates also quite often mentioned personal and business acquaintances as an important source of information. About 40% of respondents indicated that they got to know about employers from business partners and friends, and relatives as well. In addition, every third respondent received information from traditional mass media sources.

Difficulties that candidates deal with during a job search

According to professional candidates, the most common difficulty is the limited number of vacancies that match specialization. Moreover, 37% of respondents who answered this question, stated that competition on the labor market is another problem they face, which may be explained by the general contraction of the Ukrainian labor market in 2015. At the same time, respondents mentioned reasons which can be tackled by employers. For instance, more than 40% cited unsatisfactory working conditions.

What destinations for relocation seem attractive to candidates

Professional candidates are ready to relocate for employment purposes both within Ukraine and abroad. The proportion of candidates who are ready to relocate to work within Ukraine decreased by 4% as compared to 2014, but remains rather significant – 6 out of 10 respondents may consider this possibility. The most popular destinations among professional candidates are large cities, such as Lviv (71%), Kyiv (66%) and Odesa (61%).

Compared to the previous year, the proportion of respondents who are willing to relocate abroad did not change significantly and remained at the same high level (84%). The most popular countries for relocation include Poland, the USA and Germany. This aligns with the general trend, as results of the Q4 express survey on HR practices conducted by EY in 2015 indicated that 63% of the companies had employees that relocated abroad, specifically to the above-mentioned countries.

About the survey

The Best Employer Survey is conducted by EY in Ukraine annually since 2005. The main goal of the survey is to analyze the preferences of professional candidates in choosing an employer. According to EY’s methodology, respondents are asked to name up to three employers in order of their attractiveness and choose attractive companies from the suggested industry lists. Traditionally, these lists are based on results of the previous years, but this year we also considered some of the participants of the 2015 HR Brand award, organized by HeadHunter Ukraine. Participants of the survey may also indicate factors of employer’s attractiveness and sources of information about them, as well as answer some other questions which help to determine the major trends on the labor market.

The People Advisory Services practice at EY Ukraine conducts surveys to assess employer image among employees, contractors and business partners and provides consulting services on employer value proposition development and other HR related matters.

About EY

EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team up to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

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