Lifestyle, not money, reason Kiwis leave

Hot sun - not cold cash - is the main reason skilled Kiwi workers move overseas, a new international survey shows.

The study found more than half of New Zealand finance workers would consider a job overseas, with 39 per cent saying quality of life was the main reason for doing so.

Only 17 per cent said money was the most important reason to leave - and most of these were women.

Yet men were shown to be more materialistic when it came to their preferred work benefits, with half ranking a company car the most important benefit.

This was followed by flexible working hours (37 per cent), health insurance and extra days' holiday (36 per cent each) and a cash bonus (32 per cent).

Women valued flexible working hours most (51 per cent) followed by cash bonuses (44 per cent), health insurance (42 per cent), extra days’ holiday (36 per cent) and a company car (35 per cent).

 The survey was conducted by international recruitment company Robert Half and included more than 5000 finance workers across 17 countries.

Kim Smith, director of Robert Half in Auckland, said the results should be a wake-up call for employers facing chronic skills shortages. 

"Traditionally, New Zealanders have moved overseas for higher financial rewards, but this survey shows a fundamental shift - they are now looking at overseas jobs in terms of the lifestyle options that come with them.

 "They will change jobs and move city or even country to get the quality of life they want."

- © Fairfax NZ News