1 in 3 Westmeath people worried about job security

One in every three people in Westmeath are worried about their job security, according to a new report from Irish recruitment company, FRS Recruitment.

In total 36% of people in Westmeath are concerned about their employment prospects, a figure below the national average with 46% worried about their job security across the country.

The FRS Recruitment Employment Insights Survey also revealed that 59% of people in Westmeath believe they would secure a new job within three months. Nationally 2 out of 3 (66%) would expect to secure a new role within that timeframe.

If their current job was at risk, 86% of people in Westmeath would consider a reduction in their working week. This is higher than the national average of 76%. When asked if they would consider a pay cut in those circumstances, 55% of Westmeath people said they would, slightly lower than the national average of 56%.

More than four in every 10 employees in Westmeath are expecting a wage increase in the next 12 months, with 45% believing they are due a raise. This is slightly below the national average of 51%.

While almost 9 out of every 10 people in Westmeath (89%) would like to remote work some or all of the time.

When choosing a new job/ organisation, the job itself (45%) is the most important factor for people in Westmeath.

A total of 1,951 people across the country participated in the survey. FRS Recruitment is one of the leading recruitment businesses operating in Ireland. They have 10 offices nationwide, with locations in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Tipperary, Limerick, Kerry, Kilkenny, Offaly, Cavan and Roscommon. A 100% Irish business, FRS Recruitment is part of the FRS Network – the social enterprise co-operative. Further information is available on www.frsrecruitment.com

Speaking about the survey results, Colin Donnery, general manager of FRS Recruitment said, “People in Westmeath and across the country are thinking very carefully about their employment prospects in light of the pandemic. There is a lot of uncertainty out there. However some comfort should be taken that the Irish people are considerably more optimistic about their employment prospects than they were ahead of the last recession when nationally six out of every 10 people feared for their job security.

“It is also important to note, that even in these disrupted circumstances, there is still a bright outlook for employees. More than four in every ten workers in Westmeath believe they will get a wage increase over the course of the coming year, while 59% believe they would find new employment within 3 months if they were unfortunate enough to lose their jobs.

“This confidence aligns with separate research we have conducted on employer attitudes, with 60% saying they are currently either hiring or planning on hiring in the next 6 months. The jobs market is an effective canary in the coalmine when it comes to illustrating economic reality, so all of this is a positive indicator for the country’s employment outlook.

“It is also interesting to note how the pandemic has impacted ways of working, with both employees and employers being strongly in favour of remote working options being available. Both businesses and workers have seen the benefits that can arise from remote working as part of day to day operations, with most recognising that productivity levels have not diminished. That has created an appetite for utilising this approach on an ongoing basis, with almost 9 out of every 10 people in Westmeath wanting to undertake some remote working as part of their employment. Given the demand for remote working in Westmeath and around the country, businesses will have to consider offering this as part of their employee packages in future,” Mr. Donnery concluded.