Survey: Job seekers choose employers based on their life stage
A survey commissioned by Estanc and conducted by Norstat revealed that the factors engineers value in an employer largely depend on the job seeker’s age and number of children.
The survey showed that engineers consider the ability to manage their own time as the most important factor when choosing an employer, with 46% of respondents noting this. The second most popular aspect when choosing an employer was the presence of professional and supportive colleagues, as indicated by 44% of respondents.
Estanc’s CEO Priit Haldma explained that engineers’ preferences mainly depend on their life stage. “Engineers of different ages value different aspects: for engineers aged 18-29, the most important factor when choosing an employer is having professional and supportive colleagues, with half of the respondents mentioning this. For people aged 30-39, the option to work from home became the focus, with 69% of respondents noting this,” Haldma said, explaining that the importance of working from home in their thirties is due to the need for more flexible working hours when raising young children.
The third most popular response, which engineers considered important when choosing an employer, was the provision or reimbursement of professional development and self-improvement training, with 38% of respondents indicating this. For respondents in their forties, opportunities for development and self-training are the most important aspect when choosing an employer. “Among engineers in their forties, there is a noticeable pressure as eager and knowledgeable younger professionals are coming up. Therefore, they are interested in furthering their education to ensure that their long-acquired knowledge doesn’t overshadow their valuable experience. This makes development opportunities provided by the employer a key value for those in their forties.”
From the age of fifty onwards, the ability to manage one’s own time became the most central priority again: in the 50-59 age group, half of the respondents highlighted this, and among those over sixty, 65% of respondents noted it.
In addition to the factors mentioned, engineers also valued the proximity of the workplace to home, with the commute taking no more than 45 minutes (35%); the fact that the employer is a leader in its field or a company with great ambitions (29%); and the option to work from home (27%). Few engineers consider the possibility of taking at least 35 days of vacation per year (19%) and having a comfortable working environment (9%) as important when choosing an employer.
Preferences also differed somewhat depending on the number of children: engineers without children highlighted workplace proximity to home the most (55%); for engineers with one child, the presence of professional and supportive colleagues was most important; and for those with two or more children, the ability to manage their own time was the most important.
The survey commissioned by Estanc was conducted by the research firm Norstat at the end of May 2024, with a total of 92 mechanical and thermal engineers surveyed.
