Job Seekers on Both Sides of the Atlantic Motivated by Different Factors

A recent study by the European Central Bank (ECB) found that employed people in both Europe and the US continue to look for new jobs, but for different reasons. The research used data from the ECB and the U.S. Federal Reserve to investigate what motivates workers to search for a new job while still employed.

The study found that 13% of employed people in Europe continue looking for a job, compared to 19% in the US. While Americans are primarily driven by the desire for higher pay, Europeans are more concerned about losing their current job. In fact, the fear of job loss outweighs the desire for better pay in most European countries, with the exception of Greece and Portugal where both motives are balanced.

The researchers also found that workers who search while still employed are six times more likely to change jobs than those who do not. Furthermore, almost half of all workers who start a new job were previously employed rather than unemployed. The study suggests that this attitude is persistent, with 50-60% of employed workers continuing to search for another job even after having moved to a new company.