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Dear Job Doctor,

What is the main motivator behind people changing jobs in Luxembourg?

I have collected a significant amount of evidence to comfortably answer this question; the business I manage in Luxembourg meets over 100 people every week looking to change and there are many individual reasons and some common themes too.

I have been looking at the most common reasons for considering a change, for those who have a choice, which are “relationship with manager”, “better pay or conditions”, “work/life balance”, “new challenge/opportunity” and “job security”.

This week I turn to “job security”, which, among other things is a reflection of the current economic climate. Although a “job for life” is now rarely possible, a stable, employee friendly and financially secure organisation is desirable. Many of the “survivors” of downsizing and restructuring are also not immune from the psychological impact and consider changing.

Employees are looking for consistency of strategic approach and management behaviour, recognising that a good indicator of future behaviour is an organisation’s past behaviour.

If the perception is that an organisation, within reason, has put people before short term profits, they inevitably become an employer of choice and their reputation attracts the best employees.

It is understandable that many strategic organisational decisions are made outside of Luxembourg and on many occasions local management are forced to implement undesirable changes.

With any change, including economic and strategic, a balance of humility and respect from management goes a long way to ensure a legacy of goodwill and employee branding for the future; our past behaviour is a good indicator of future behaviour. 

Darren Robinson is managing director of Badenoch & Clark Luxembourg, the largest staffing and recruitment firm in the Grand Duchy.

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