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87% workers would rather leave employers — survey
Shakeman Mugari, The Zimbabwe Independent
February 28, 2008

View story on the Zimbabwe Independent website

Most workers in Zimbabwe are unhappy with their current employers and would prefer to leave if they get an alternative job, a recent human resources survey conducted by a local labour consultancy reveals.

The survey done by Organisational Excellence Consultancy whose results were released two weeks ago shows that the majority of workers are desperate to leave their current jobs because they are not happy with their salaries.

The survey revealed that given a choice, 87,50% of workers in Zimbabwe would leave their current employers with the remaining 12,50% saying they would rather stay put.

However, the reason for those who would rather remain with their current employers has little to do with the salaries but the relationship that they enjoy with colleagues at the workplace.

About 83,87% who said they would remain in their current places of employment said they would do so only because they enjoy good working relations with colleagues.

The survey also shows that as inflation continues to rise workers are becoming more interested in package benefits than the salary itself. About 12,90% said they are only remaining in their current jobs because they enjoy free fuel while 9,68% said they would rather hang on because they have a company vehicle.

Another 12,90% said they are persuaded to stay on in their jobs because of a good working environment with 9,68% remaining because the company helps pay their children's school fees. Only 6,45% said they are staying put because they have a good basic salary.

Most workers said the pay cheque was no longer a very important factor because it has become unsustainable in the current inflationary environment. On average junior managers earn between $400 million and $900 million. Executives are earning between $8 billion and $10 billion a month while chief executives are getting around $20 billion.

The survey however revealed that even the top earners like chief executives are not happy with their salaries which are losing value because of inflation. The month-on-month inflation rate has averaged 180% over the past two months.

Organisational Excellence Consultancy's principal consultant, Memory Nguwi, said most professionals were frustrated because they could not afford to get mortgages for houses and loans for cars.

"What most workers want is a comfortable life but unfortunately many have concluded that this might just be a pipe dream if they continue working in Zimbabwe," Nguwi said.

Nguwi said the survey indicates that companies are struggling to retain skilled workers. "It clearly shows that in this hyperinflation environment companies have to find innovative means of keeping qualified employees." The survey also showed that Zimbabweans are generally frustrated by their country and would rather join companies outside.

About 33,33% said given a choice they would rather be employed outside the country. Although the prime targets are companies in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana some workers said they are so desperate to leave that any regional country would do. The major reason is that their local salaries cannot give them the quality of life that they would want to lead. Those that still want to work in Zimbabwe said they would rather be self-employed or join a non-governmental organization.

Those that want to start their own business account for 25% while those that would rather join a non-governmental organization are 20%. The reason why so many workers are keen to join non-governmental organizations is because they get paid in foreign currency which they will change on the parallel market at higher rates.

For instance a driver in the NGO sector gets about US$250 per month which translates to $3,7 billion on the black market. Directors in the NGO sector get an average US$2 500 which comes to $37,5 billion per month on the black market.

Nguwi said his firm had received a huge number of curriculum vitaes of professionals who want to join the NGO sector. MOST workers in Zimbabwe are unhappy with their current employers and would prefer to leave if they get an alternative job, a recent human resources survey conducted by a local labour consultancy reveals.

The survey done by Organizational Excellence Consultancy whose results were released two weeks ago shows that the majority of workers are desperate to leave their current jobs because they are not happy with their salaries.

The survey revealed that given a choice, 87,50% of workers in Zimbabwe would leave their current employers with the remaining 12,50% saying they would rather stay put.

However, the reason for those who would rather remain with their current employers has little to do with the salaries but the relationship that they enjoy with colleagues at the workplace.

About 83,87% who said they would remain in their current places of employment said they would do so only because they enjoy good working relations with colleagues.

The survey also shows that as inflation continues to rise workers are becoming more interested in package benefits than the salary itself. About 12,90% said they are only remaining in their current jobs because they enjoy free fuel while 9,68% said they would rather hang on because they have a company vehicle.

Another 12,90% said they are persuaded to stay on in their jobs because of a good working environment with 9,68% remaining because the company helps pay their children's school fees. Only 6,45% said they are staying put because they have a good basic salary.

Most workers said the pay cheque was no longer a very important factor because it has become unsustainable in the current inflationary environment. On average junior managers earn between $400 million and $900 million. Executives are earning between $8 billion and $10 billion a month while chief executives are getting around $20 billion.

The survey however revealed that even the top earners like chief executives are not happy with their salaries which are losing value because of inflation. The month-on-month inflation rate has averaged 180% over the past two months.

Organisational Excellence Consultancy's principal consultant, Memory Nguwi, said most professionals were frustrated because they could not afford to get mortgages for houses and loans for cars.

"What most workers want is a comfortable life but unfortunately many have concluded that this might just be a pipe dream if they continue working in Zimbabwe," Nguwi said.

Nguwi said the survey indicates that companies are struggling to retain skilled workers. "It clearly shows that in this hyperinflation environment companies have to find innovative means of keeping qualified employees." The survey also showed that Zimbabweans are generally frustrated by their country and would rather join companies outside. About 33,33% said given a choice they would rather be employed outside the country.

Although the prime targets are companies in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana some workers said they are so desperate to leave that any regional country would do. The major reason is that their local salaries cannot give them the quality of life that they would want to lead.

Those that still want to work in Zimbabwe said they would rather be self-employed or join a non-governmental organization.

Those that want to start their own business account for 25% while those that would rather join a non-governmental organisation are 20%. The reason why so many workers are keen to join non-governmental organizations is because they get paid in foreign currency which they will change on the parallel market at higher rates.

For instance a driver in the NGO sector gets about US$250 per month which translates to $3,7 billion on the black market. Directors in the NGO sector get an average US$2 500 which comes to $37,5 billion per month on the black market.

Nguwi said his firm had received a huge number of curriculum vitaes of professionals who want to join the NGO sector.

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