A survey published this week by FRS Recruitment indicates that the attitude of Irish workers has improved over the past year in comparison with the peak of the recession in 2009 and 2010.

The 2014 Irish Worker Behaviour and Attitudes Survey combined the views of 1,500 respondents and found that fewer workers (44%) fear losing their job than last year (48%). This is in stark contrast with 2009, when almost 60% of respondents feared losing their job. The survey revealed a huge shift in workers’ priorities when seeking a new job. Workers are now less concerned with job security and more focused on salary, career path and the job itself.

“Workers are also more likely to consider contract positions because they feel they will be able to find new roles when the contract comes to an end,” says general manager of FRS Recruitment, Colin Donnery.

In the survey, 43% of respondents said they would take a pay cut to save their job – in 2009 over 80% of those surveyed said the same thing. Almost seven in 10 respondents said they would consider a drop in salary to get a new job. Of those currently unemployed, 41% said they would not relocate to find a new job, 19% would be willing to relocate up to 50 miles and another 19% would be happy to relocate to anywhere in the world. CL