Younger people have no staying power in jobs?

[ppl]

What are your thoughts about younger people not staying in their jobs (ie: job hopping) compared to older people?

[Carpe Diem]

I also have been told that young people are doing a lot of job hopping in Singapore. One of my friends who used to be manager of a supermarket here told me once that 30% turnover per year was normal.

I guess they are looking for a better pay, when the job doesn't motivate them? Also, if they are young they have most probably less responsibilities - no family to take care of, etc - so can handle less stability?

[Guest]

The younger folks generally have no commitment to jobs, they like to job-hop and go for jobs that match their salary expectations more than anything else (Eg: Do I like the job scope?) It is very apparent in Singapore, and the high turnovers are mainly caused by the younger people..

[riversandlakes]

25 here, and i can tell you why. imho, i can be loyal to many things - love, family, friends, but never firms.

for firms are never loyal to us, are they ever?

hence, on the next best offer, i'm off. no qualms about it. no guilt, no squat.

[seraphim]

My loyalty to my work only goes as far as their ability to recognize my efforts and treat me fairly.

Just recently, I found out how biased and unethical one of my mangers was.....so guess who's out job hunting? 8)

[Strong Eagle]

It used to be that when you were hired by a company you had stability and predictability. It engendered loyalty amongst the employees.

Now, employees are expendable like everything else. Layoffs, "downsizing", "right sizing"... why should an employee be loyal to the company when the company is no longer loyal to its employees?

[seraphim]

Couldn't have said it better myself, SE.

[k1w1]

Totally agree. IMHO the reason people are job-hopping here (I have been here only nine months and am on my second job), is because there are NO employment rights. It is really shocking to be told that while you might have a contract, it will not do you any good (even the MOM cannot help). Unbelievable. Damn right, I'm gonna look for something better.

As an aside, good luck with your job hunt, Seraphim

[yslee80my]

yup... i agree to... 2 years out from Uni and this is my 3rd job ald...

[seraphim]

Totally agree. IMHO the reason people are job-hopping here (I have been here only nine months and am on my second job), is because there are NO employment rights. It is really shocking to be told that while you might have a contract, it will not do you any good (even the MOM cannot help). Unbelievable. Damn right, I'm gonna look for something better.

As an aside, good luck with your job hunt, Seraphim

Hey thanks, k1w1!

[sundaymorningstaple]

The key here is one of the current buzz words: Human Capital!

We are now capital assets. These things are depreciable and once they have milked the best from you, you get scrapped for a newer, less efficient, shorter lifespan replacement.

As a headhunter I absolutely deplore the term and it's connotations.

sms

[riversandlakes]

hence, why get hurt and caught unaware, like getting fired or treated like dirt when you have a pending MYR 300,000 home and MYR 50,000 car loans.. once you have milked the best from the firm, scrap it.

2 years ago, i saw right in front of my eyes, this 12-year guy in the NEXT cube got fired because of "downturn". As far as i know, the CEO, Chairman and MD kept their reserved parking slots at Basement 1?!

pre-emptive strike here is a blessing.

once they have milked the best from you, you get scrapped for a newer, less efficient, shorter lifespan replacement.

[Vaucluse]

It used to be that when you were hired by a company you had stability and predictability. It engendered loyalty amongst the employees.

Now, employees are expendable like everything else. Layoffs, "downsizing", "right sizing"... why should an employee be loyal to the company when the company is no longer loyal to its employees?

I would take it one step further - with companies making profits why do they downsize? To please the shareholders, of course. What benefit do the shareholders give the company? Investment capital. What do the comonies give shareholders? Dividends and potentially takeovers.

Umm, hang on - what about productivity? Ah yes, the worker. Well, the problem is that we have unemployment and MNC's. Conglomerates that are ruled by the faceless, accountants and paper-pushers.

Oh, I could go on and on with my rant about our illustrious capitalist mode of production, but I've certainly capitalised on it, both in terms of benefits, income and shares/options.

Still stinks, however.


So - know any good headhunters out there?

[riversandlakes]

Not an economist myself, but I read somewhere that <4% unemployment rate is technically considered insignificant?

Besides, I also read that some unemployment is necessary to maintain the balance of wages and keep businesses competitive on a global scale. Lesser of the two evils will be on the side of the salaried employees
Consider the bigger chaos if there were true labor shortages. Businesses can't function, and wages rocket sky-high...

It seems it's okay to push down wages, to keep the businesses stationary.

[CNA]

Not an economist myself, but I read somewhere that <4% unemployment rate is technically considered insignificant?

depends really, on the definition of unemployment..nowadays they include cyclical unemployeds, in between unemployeds, perennial unemployeds etc etc

the original posting mentioned that young people are more prone to job hopping, i think not to confuse between cause and effect, everyone nowadays are prone to job hopping if only they were as mobile - but as we know the headlines are filled with news on older workers not being able to find jobs etc but given a chance, they would job hop as well for all the reasons given in this thread


of course some of the younglings have unrealistic views of the job market thus perhaps an element for more frequent hoppings are there