Fresh Research: What Talent Wants in Jobs & Locations
The European labour market continues to face significant challenges in 2024, with persistent talent shortages across various sectors as well as multiple economic headwinds. While job vacancies have slightly decreased from the record highs of 2022, they remain well above pre-pandemic levels. The perfect storm of aging populations, declining birth rates, and economic transformation led by AI and the green economy continues to narrow the employment pool in both emerging and traditional industries.
This second edition of “What Talent Wants” provides fresh insights into the motivations, behaviours, and preferences of talent from select countries and regions across Europe during their relocation journey. Building on the foundation laid by our inaugural talent report in 2023, this year’s analysis reveals both enduring trends and emerging shifts in what European talent prioritises when evaluating jobs, work environments, lifestyles, and places to live.
More than 650 people from regions and countries across Europe between the ages of 21 and 54 were surveyed online during July 2024. This year’s survey included similar questions to 2023, but we made small adjustments in the multiple choice wording and added several new questions, all of which is meant to emphasize crossborder relocation.
Respondents met three primary qualifications before receiving the questions. First, they personally relocated to a new country within the past three years. This kept the focus to those who experienced cross-border relocations, which can come with a complex labyrinth of processes versus domestic moves. In 2023, participants had simply moved more than 100km from their previous location, including incountry relocations.
Second, they were currently employed or actively job seeking. Those already in the job market are of primary concern to the audiences reading this report, so we excluded those who are not active. This is consistent with last year. Lastly, they had a minimum of a secondary schooling degree or equivalent.
Report Insights
Key questions we answer about what talent wants in jobs and locations include:
What are the top triggers that compel talent to seek relocation to another country?
Which specific job and career factors influence talent when they are considering new opportunities abroad?
Which challenges are most complicating cross-border relocation and how severe are they?
How are views on remote work policies impacting relocation decisions?
Which quality of life factors matter most to talent?
What influence does upskilling have on those considering relocation?
How does talent form perceptions about potential destinations and research job opportunities?
Do international talent see themselves moving again soon, and to where?
As the global talent landscape evolves, understanding these trends is required for companies, cluster organisations, places and other organisations looking to attract and retain the world’s best. The insights provided in this report can guide the development of more effective cross-border talent attraction strategies, helping to address the ongoing challenges in the European labour market.
To help inform your talent attraction and retention activities, download your copy of What Talent Wants: Capturing What Europe’s Workforce Seeks in Jobs & Locations.
What next? How we can help.
The most important part of reports like this is putting their insights into action. See the following ways our team is available to help.
Half-Day Day Workshop
Struggling to align regional stakeholders around talent attraction? Book managing director and report author Steve Duncan to run a custom half-day workshop for your regional consortium. Gain clarity on why talent attraction matters, who is responsible for which aspects and what resources are needed to do it effectively.
Custom Perception Research
Do you wonder how international talent perceives your community? Our team can help you identify the right markets to survey, which questions to ask and collect the intelligence to help inform future talent marketing efforts.
Competitor Benchmarking Analysis
Need more insight into what other regions and countries are doing to increase their competitiveness in attracting international talent? We can help with a detailed benchmarking analysis, understanding the policy measures in place as well as the place marketing initiatives to raise destination appeal.
Talent Marketing Strategy, Creative Development & Campaign Implementation
Is your region or country convinced of the value of talent attraction, but unclear on the next steps to take or unsure how to build the case to gain the appropriate funding? We are experienced in developing comprehensive talent attraction marketing strategies and would love to discuss how we can help your region.