Close to 85% of Employees Plan to Search For a New Job in 2012

The tide is turning, the shift in mindset is here and now. The North American workforce believes that things are getting better, and employees who have been holding onto the job they currently have — no matter how much they hate their job — are now open to looking at employment opportunities. According to a survey conducted by Right Management, a whopping 84% of employees are planning on searching for a new job in 2012.  That compares to 60% of the respondents in a similar survey by Right Management conducted two years ago. The company surveyed more than 1,000 people in the U.S. and Canada. Only 5% of survey respondents said they were planning to stay in their current job.

Many business owners and bosses are concerned that their employees will consider other job opportunities.  Frankly, they should be.  A Gallup poll of more than 1 million employed U.S. workers concluded that the No. 1 reason people quit their jobs is a bad boss or immediate supervisor.

"People leave managers not companies ... in the end, turnover is mostly a manager issue," Gallup wrote in its survey findings.

Think of the movie "Horrible Bosses." If you could relate to any of the bosses in that film, you should be having some sleepless nights. Badbossology.com lists some of the common bad boss behaviors, in case you need help identifying them in your own manager if you are an employee , or in yourself, if you are the boss:

    * Bullying

    * Incompetence

    * Harassment and discrimination

    * Inadequate compensation

    * Not respecting your legal rights

    * Privacy invasion

Great companies should be ecstatic to know that employees are willing to consider new employment options. If you are a good employer who treats employees well and is committed to hiring great talent, this is an ideal time for you. The key will be your level of commitment. Due to the pent up demand in the market place for great talent, and the increased employment options a new job seeker will find on the open market, employers cannot take their time in making a job offer to candidates. Often times, job seekers will either take the first job offered to them or receive multiple offers and be overwhelmed by the decision making process. If you locate a great candidate for your organization, a good rule thumb is make an offer within 24-48 hours of the interview.