What we learned about working in Belgium from the 2021 Income & Insight report

Beyond salary, daily rate and benefits, these professionals shared their motivations in choosing a new employer, likelihood of attrition, opinions on workplace factors, and other insight into modern and future workforce demands. The following data represents key findings from the report compiled from their responses on compensation and motivation. Consult the full report for details, demographics and further results.

New in 2021: Insight Report findings

For the first time, our research included questions designed to reveal further intricacies of the workplace and hiring landscape in Belgium, These topics include employee motivators, emotional salary, and the shifts in values that evolved over the past year. The timing of this survey is particularly interesting as it measures changes in attitude which occurred over the most extreme periods of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Takeaway 1: Workplace factors worth changing jobs for are work/life balance

Unsurprisingly, when asked what factor would singularly motivate an employee to take a job with a different employer, the most common response was for economic gain. However, this response is closely followed by another type of motivator: work culture and work/life balance. 65% of respondents say that an increase in salary or daily rate could convince a worker to change jobs. Nearly as attractive is an attractive work culture, with 57% of workers overall willing to change jobs for this. 37% also would be motivated to change jobs if given the option to work remotely.

(Want to learn more? Get the Ariad Income & Insight 2021 Report for digital professions across industries in Belgium to find out what professionals are actually earning today)

Takeaway 2: Changes in priorities over past year, emotional salary

How have certain workplace factors changed in importance since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic? We asked to report whether certain factors either felt the same, more, or less important today than they did one year ago. 71% of respondents reported that schedule flexibility or remote work is more important to them now than it was one year ago. 60% of respondents find work culture more important now.

Takeaway 3: Voluntary attrition is high--but higher in-house

Are you actively planning to leave your current job, with the intention to quit your current job before the end of the year? Nearly 1 in 5 permanent employees (19%) are actively looking for another job and intend to leave within 6 months, with an additional 40% passively looking. In contrast however, only 5% of freelance workers are actively seeking a change in employer.

Summary

The increase in importance of the factors of remote work and flexibility for workers will likely grow. This is in line with forward-looking viewpoints on which modern companies (like Ariad!) were founded, and those companies that do not choose to adapt may suffer in attracting and attaining top talent.

Employee retention cannot be taken for granted, especially with in-house or permanent employees. This combined data suggests that the work culture of an employer will likely continue to grow in importance to all types of employees, and along with remote work and flexibility could great affect retention through the future.

Get the Ariad Income & Insight 2021 Report for digital professions across industries in Belgium to find out what professionals are actually earning today.