UK Workers pessimistic about career future

UK workers are amongst the least confident in the world about the future of their jobs, despite rising optimism in the rest of the global workforce, according to the latest edition of the Global Career Confidence Index by HR consultancy RightCoutts.

The bi-annual survey, an internationally recognised benchmark of job security, has found that almost one quarter (24 per cent) of UK employees believe that there is a chance they will be made redundant in the coming year, the highest percentage of all countries questioned. In addition, more than two thirds (71 per cent) of British employees believe that if they were made redundant, they would find it difficult to find alternative employment of a similar grade.

Out of a perfect confidence score of 100, Britainís overall Career Confidence Index stands at only 50.3 points compared to an all-time high of 54.6 for workers worldwide. British workers have suffered from a 2.4 point fall in confidence since May - the sharpest drop in the world alongside the USA, which experienced a similarly steep fall from its three-year high in the last survey.

Jo Bond, managing director of RightCoutts, comments: The recent economic downturn in the UK, coupled with increased employment and operational costs, mean that a decrease in UK career confidence is not a surprise.

While the situation might look gloomy at first glance, UK workers need to remember that our economy is actually in a much stronger position than many of our global peers. UK organisations need to maintain the morale of employees and ensure that this economic slump doesnít lead to reduced retention and productivity in the workplace.

In order, France, Belgium, USA, Switzerland and Germany are the only other countries ranking lower than the UK out of the 18 nations involved in the Career Confidence Index.

Germany continues to be home to the worldís most pessimistic workers, with their confidence rating falling to a low of 43.4 points. The majority of German respondents - 95.5 per cent - said it would be difficult to find a new job if they were made redundant.

Meanwhile, Japan, Korea and Norway are the top three highest scorers worldwide, with only five per cent of Japanese workers believing there is a chance they could lose their job in the coming year. The countryís growing confidence may be tied to an unemployment rate remaining below five per cent.

Our national pessimism was revealed in RightCouttsí latest Career Confidence Index, a study of over 9,000 full time workers in 18 countries across Europe and the world. Published twice-yearly, the survey asks employees whether being laid off from their job is likely over the next year and how easy or difficult it would be to find a similar position with the same pay. Their confidence rating is then calculated from both responses.

Key facts

1. Overall, worker confidence levels are rising around the world. In 13of the 18 countries surveyed by Right, workers reported feeling more confident about their own jobs as well as their local job market than they were six months ago. The International Career Confidence Index scored a 54.6 this period, the highest level recorded since Right began tracking worker confidence levels around the world two years ago.

2. Japanese workers are the most confident workers in the world. Only 5percent of Japanese workers believe there is a chance they could lose their job in the coming year, while 71.6 percent say it is not at all possible.

3. Germany continues to be home to the worldís most pessimistic workers. Since the beginning of the international index, Germany has consistently scored among the lowest in worker confidence, and for the fourth survey in a row, Germany has scored the lowest overall index rating. Although 81.6 percent of German workers thought it was unlikely they would lose their job in the coming year, 95.5 percent - the highest of all country figures reported - said it would be difficult to find a new job if they were laid off. Of that group, the majority - 59 percent - said that finding a new job would be very difficult. Career Confidence Index - Worldwide League of Confidence