Source: WorldAtWork
November 14, 2008

Nearly half of workers surveyed said they would consider changing jobs to work for an organization that is more committed to providing access to and training for the latest technology.

In a national survey commissioned by the Fairfax County (Va.) Economic Development Authority, 78% of workers said access to technology is important to their capacity to be creative and 80% said access to technology is important to their productivity; 80% said technology gives their employer an edge in the marketplace.

Thirty-nine percent of respondents said they would consider changing jobs if it meant having access to more up-to-date technology; 37% said they would contemplate a job switch if better training in technology was offered.

The survey also found:

• Americans working in professional services are more likely (90%) to say that technology is critical to their individual productivity at work, when compared with those working in manufacturing/construction (80%), direct services (77%), health (77%), other sectors (76%) or education (72%).
• Men (43%) are significantly more likely than women (31%) to suggest that they would work for another employer that provided more in-depth training on the latest technology.
• Younger workers are more likely to place an emphasis on technology than their older counterparts.
• Americans working in the manufacturing sector (52%) are significantly more likely than those working in direct services (43%), health (39%), other sectors (39%), professional services (37%) or education (22%) to say that they would consider leaving their employer for another company that makes better use of available technology.
• Hispanic workers are more apt to consider a job change for the prospect of improved access to or training in technology. A total of 65% of Hispanic respondents said they would consider switching jobs for better access and 63% said they would consider switching for more technology training.

Survey Methodology
A nationally representative sample of 1,004 employed Americans was interviewed by telephone. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate within plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20 of what they would have been had the entire population of working adults in the U.S. been polled. The margin of error is larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure the sample’s regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual U.S. population according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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