JOB SHOPPING : AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

Abstract

Job shopping by workers is the search for suitable jobs when they are not satisfied with their current employment opportunities, scope of advancement, job security, employment benefits and other relevant factors. This study aims to uncover the driving forces behind individuals' decision in seeking new employment or remaining in their current employment. Due to the limited research on job shopping in Singapore, this study attempts to contribute to the scant literature available with primary data collected personally. This study takes on an exploratory approach to incorporate and examine both pecuniary and non-pecuniary variables that could influence job attitudes and individuals' behaviours of job shopping. A survey was conducted through one-to-one interviews. The sample consists of 965 working individuals, with the exception of the self-employed and those employed on a part-time basis. In this empirical study, probit models are used to analyse the survey data. Two models are included, with one modelling an individual's consideration towards a job change and the other modelling the actual search for another job. The results indicate that job mobility declines with job tenure, suggesting that younger workers are more responsive to external opportunities as they come along. It is assessed that workers with lower levels of satisfaction with income are more likely to consider a change in job and to actively look for another job. This study also reveals the importance of non-pecuniary characteristics of a job such as overall job satisfaction, fringe benefits and job security. It is found that workers with lower levels of satisfaction with job security or with their work environment are more inclined towards both considering and actively looking for a change in employment. Furthermore, a worker who is either the sole breadwinner of the family or has three or more dependants has a lower probability of looking for another job actively. It is also found that poor economic sentiment among workers is the main reason for employees to remain in their jobs at this moment. On the other hand, the most common reason given by employees to look for another job is that salary is paid below their expectations. Thus looking for another job may increase their chances of earning higher wages.