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90% of UK workers would strongly consider working for a startup – but more than half haven’t found the right role
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6 out of 10 would be willing to take a pay cut
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Good company culture and greater ownership the biggest startup pulling factors
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28% don’t know where to look for startup vacancies, but most would go via a job board
It’s fair to say that startups have truly democratised the culture of the workplace.
And with more of them being formed in 2015 than ever before, we wanted to uncover what the UK workforce really thought about working for them – and what they want from their next role.
So we surveyed over 800 talented jobseekers to find out:
The perks of startup culture
A good company culture was cited as one of the biggest pulling factors for joining a startup.
The usual job search considerations were also ever-present – such as salary, personal growth and promotion opportunities – but startups promise a new kind of working environment, one that’s still relatively new to many jobseekers and extremely appealing.
Four out of ten stated that they crave responsibility and ownership in their role, rather than Instagram-worthy office perks. Other benefits cited included the ability to work closely with innovators and visionaries, and faster career progression.
Personal interests
According to our research, candidates are also much more likely to pursue a startup vacancy if it will involve working on something they’re really passionate about.
So, without a recognised name to back an opportunity up, making a personal connection is absolutely vital if startup recruiters are looking to stand out.
Some of the most well-known, successful startups identified as desirable to work for were Uber, Airbnb and Deliveroo.
Generational differences
Millennials aren’t the only generation considering the startup life.
All age groups we surveyed expressed some interest in working for one – although it does seem that motivations may differ slightly as we get older.
While learning and development opportunities are the main considerations for those under 40 when applying for a role (66%), our research has shown that the majority of those over 40 are more concerned with the reputation and culture of the organisation (74%)
Reassurance is key
The flexibility and dynamism that goes hand in hand with startup life is undoubtedly appealing – but they can be a cause of concern for some.
38% of jobseekers cited a potential lack of job security and career stability as their main worry about making the move from a more established company.
Startups should be loud and proud
28% of jobseekers don’t know where to look for startup vacancies.
The majority cited job sites as the first place they look for a new role, beating both search engines and social networks to the top spot.
And, perhaps more shockingly, most jobseekers aren’t even aware if they’ve applied for a vacancy with a startup, because the advert hasn’t highlighted it.
To make more of their cultural pulling power, startups need to be loud and proud to attract the best hires for their roles.
The majority would take a pay cut
Finally, 60% would be willing to take a pay cut if it meant working for a startup they were passionate about.
And, when it comes to actually making the move, those who are most likely to apply for a startup roles are currently earning between £25k and £40k.
However, whatever their level, jobseekers have never been more receptive to startup life – so it’s up to startups to make sure they’re accessible and visible, in order to access the top talent.
