Would you? 2 in 5 workers say they’d trade their benefits for more job flexibility

NEW YORK — Is there really something worth giving up healthcare and vacation for? It turns out there is. Two in five Americans would give up their benefits if it meant they could have more flexibility at their job.

A new poll asked 2,000 employed adults to reflect on their jobs in light of the pandemic and the results show they’re not thrilled with their current situation. Seven in 10 respondents say their job hardly offers any flexibility when it comes to their schedule, and 42 percent would even trade in their benefits package for a schedule that works more for them.

Thirty-seven percent of workers would prefer more flexibility away from the standard 9-to-5, instead opting to work from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (19%). For those who’d prefer to have more flexibility in the days they work (25%), they’d rather work Thursday to Monday (10%) or fewer than five days a week (10%). Thirty-five percent of respondents would even change their entire career if it meant they could have better flexibility and 40 percent would give up all of their vacation time.

Worker pay is the biggest problem

Need FlexibilityConducted by OnePoll on behalf of Qwick, the survey found that while flexibility is a big priority for employed Americans, there are even more things making their current job lackluster. Forty-four percent say the top thing their employer needs to improve is their pay, followed by benefits (42%) and then flexibility (39%).

In fact, better pay would persuade 70 percent of U.S. workers to put up with their current jobs and work longer hours. Six in 10 (61%) add their current job doesn’t offer a satisfactory work-life balance and 54 percent find it difficult to spend time with their family and friends because of this.

Some employed Americans can’t even make ends meet with just one job. Of the 2,000 employed respondents, 36 percent are currently working a second job to get some extra cash in their pockets. The top industries these respondents are working in include customer service (19%), hospitality (14%), restaurants (14%), and catering or events (14%).

“Whether you work in a suit or an apron, these survey results indicate that the vast majority of working Americans simply want more flexibility,” says Jamie Baxter, CEO of Qwick, in a statement. “Flexibility has been at the forefront of our business from the very beginning, and by prioritizing this, professionals are not only able to work the type of role they want (line cook, bartender, waiter, etc), but they have the ability to choose where, when and how much they want to work.”

Two is better than one!

Need FlexibilityTwo in three respondents think it would be easier for them to find a second job now than before the pandemic. For those currently open to taking another job, 71 percent are more likely to do so now than they were before COVID.

Men are more likely to show interest in taking another job at 76 percent compared to 66 percent of women. On average, these respondents are willing to put in an average of 14 hours a week at another job and 74 percent would take on another job if it pays them weekly.

“Especially in hospitality, the pandemic has completely reimagined what the term ‘work-life balance’ means and what professionals expect in the workplace,” Baxter adds. “Instead of long, demanding hours and little pay, the gig economy is bringing a variety of platforms and resources available to anyone seeking more flexibility or looking to make extra cash outside of their 9 to 5 job. It’s amazing to witness the difference made in professionals’ lives when they’re paid adequately and given the agency to create their own hours.”

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