A survey by Geocartography Knowledge Ltd. for placement agency ORS -Overseas Representation Services Ltd. has found that the majority of Israeli employees prefer widespread pay cuts to losing their own or coworkers' jobs. 78.2% of respondents said that they would prefer their employer to make an across-the-board reduction in salary as an alternative to layoffs.
12.4% of the respondents said that they preferred limited layoffs to an across-the-board reduction in salary. 9.4% of respondents had no opinion.
The survey included 500 respondents.
ORS VP business and enterprise development Orna Landau said, "The results show a high degree of solidarity among Israeli workers, as well as identification with workers who've lost their jobs in the wave of layoffs of recent months. Most Israeli workers are prepared to absorb a pay cut to avoid losing their jobs or seeing coworkers lose theirs. This attitude contrasts to the position of many employers, who consider layoffs to be a key streamlining measure."
Despite the economic crisis and the slew of headlines about layoffs, the survey found that 76.6% of salaried employees are not afraid for their jobs. 57.9% of respondents said that there were not worried of losing their jobs and 18.7% said that they were not especially worried. Only 4.7% of respondents said that they were very afraid for their jobs and 17.5% said that they were somewhat worried.
Men are more afraid of losing their jobs than women. 29.2% of men employees said that they were afraid of losing their jobs, compared with 15.5% of women. People with less education are more afraid for their jobs: 30.7% of respondents with a high school education said that they were afraid for their jobs, compared with 18.7% of university graduates.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on February 16, 2009
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2009