62 Percent Of Workers Would Relocate For A Job, Survey Finds

- Raleigh, Des Moines, Miami and Charlotte have the most professionals who would consider moving

- Better pay and perks is the top factor for changing cities

- More than one-third of companies have increased their relocation packages in the past five years; 30 percent don't provide assistance for moves

News provided by

Robert Half

Jan 15, 2019, 08:17 ET

MENLO PARK, Calif., Jan. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Offering relocation benefits to job candidates could be a good move for employers, suggests new research from global staffing firm Robert Half. Sixty-two percent of workers surveyed said they would consider moving for a position. Among professionals in the 28 U.S. cities polled, respondents in Raleigh, Des Moines, Miami and Charlotte are most open to changing locations.

According to a new Robert Half survey, 62% of workers would relocate for a job. See the full results here: https://www.roberthalf.com/blog/compensation-and-benefits/would-you-relocate-for-a-job.

A separate survey of senior managers found that in the past five years, 34 percent of companies have increased what's offered in the relocation packages they present to top candidates outside their geographic area. In contrast, 30 percent of organizations do not offer any incentives for moving.

View an infographic about relocation packages. Data tables with a breakdown of the results by age and gender are also available.

Additional findings:

Workers identified better pay and perks (44 percent) as the top factor in their decision to move for a job, followed by family or personal reasons (17 percent) and cost of living and career advancement (16 percent each).
Professionals ages 18 to 34 (76 percent) are most likely to relocate, compared to those ages 35 to 54 (62 percent) and 55 and older (40 percent). Sixty-seven percent of male employees would move, versus 59 percent of women.
Minneapolis (45 percent), Boston and Philadelphia (48 percent each), and Detroit (53 percent) have the fewest number of employees who would consider leaving their current area.
Miami (53 percent), Houston (48 percent), Los Angeles (45 percent) and Dallas (42 percent) have the most companies that have increased their relocation packages over the past five years.

"In today's competitive hiring environment, many employers are finding it challenging to locate skilled professionals in their immediate area," said Paul McDonald, senior executive director for Robert Half. "As a result, organizations are open to considering candidates in other cities and offering attractive relocation packages to secure that talent."

McDonald added, "Besides receiving corporate incentives to move, there are a number of professional and personal reasons workers may opt for a change of scenery, including a higher salary, better perks, more affordable cost of living or advanced job title."

About the Research
The online surveys were developed by Robert Half and conducted by independent research firms. They include responses from more than 2,800 U.S. workers 18 years of age or older and employed in office environments and more than 2,800 senior managers at companies with 20 or more employees in 28 major U.S. cities.

About Robert Half
Founded in 1948, Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm. The company has more than 300 staffing locations worldwide and offers job search services at roberthalf.com. For additional career and management advice, visit the Robert Half blog at roberthalf.com/blog.

SOURCE Robert Half