Young workers express preference for flexibility in survey

Young job seekers have revealed in a survey that they prefer more flexible employment relations with companies, working from home and the growing gig economy.

A report by the recruitment platform Zhaopin and Peking University's National School of Development released on Wednesday shows employees born after 2000 possess a stronger willingness to work from home and to become "digital workers" with flexible working locations and schedules.

According to the report, nearly 66 percent of young people born after 2000 surveyed prefer working from home. The number is much higher than surveyed people born after 1970, with about 54.4 percent of them prefer the new style.

Roughly 54 percent of employees surveyed have side jobs, using their professional skills to make money outside their primary vocation, the report said.

The survey showed about 76.4 percent of surveyed young workers born after 2000 had an interest in being "digital workers". Their willingness is also stronger than the average surveyed result - roughly 73 percent.

To cater to these young people's working preferences, more companies have begun to include "flexible working mode" in their recruitment advertisements.

Zhaopin cited data showing vacancies with flexible working schedules available on its platform make up 15 to 20 percent of total vacancies, especially for industries with growing gig economy such as transportation and logistics.

Zhaopin said the proportion of flexible vacancies offered by companies in these industries has increased to 25 percent this year, up from 10 percent in 2018.