According to a survey conducted by research company Norstat on behalf of the Estonian engineering and manufacturing company Estanc, the factors that engineers value when choosing an employer depend primarily on the applicant’s age and the number of children they have. The study showed that engineers consider the ability to plan their own time to be the most important factor when choosing an employer – this was noted by 46% of survey participants. The second most popular aspect when choosing an employer was the presence of professional and supportive colleagues, which was indicated by 44% of respondents. Estanc CEO Priit Haldma explained that engineers’ preferences mainly depend on what stage of life they are at. “Engineers of different ages value different aspects: for people aged 18–29, the most important factor when choosing an employer is the presence of professional and supportive colleagues, this was noted by half of the respondents. “For people aged 30–39, the ability to work from home comes to the forefront – this aspect was noted by 69% of respondents,” said Haldma, adding that the importance of working from home in their thirties is due to the need for flexibility in working hours when raising small children. The third most important aspect for engineers when choosing an employer was whether the employer offered or compensated for development and self-training opportunities. This was noted by 38% of respondents. For respondents aged forty and above, development and self-training opportunities are generally the most important aspect when choosing an employer. “Among engineers aged forty and above, you can see that people feel a certain pressure, since younger employees with new knowledge are actively moving forward. As a result, they develop an interest in self-development, so that outdated knowledge does not overshadow their valuable experience. This is why the development opportunities provided by the employer become an important factor for engineers in their forties,” said Haldma. Starting from the age of fifty, the most important priority again becomes the ability to plan time: in the age group of 50-59 years, this aspect was noted by 50% of respondents, and among those over 60 years old – as many as 65% of respondents. In addition, engineers also value the proximity of the workplace to home, that is, the location of the workplace no more than 45 minutes from home (35%), the fact that the employer is a leader in its industry or a company with great ambitions (29%), as well as the ability to work from home (27%). When choosing an employer, few engineers consider it important to have at least 35 days of vacation per year (19%) and comfortable working conditions (9%). The importance of preferences also differed somewhat depending on the number of children: engineers who do not have children valued the proximity of the workplace to home most of all (55%), for engineers with one child the most important factor was the presence of professional and supportive colleagues, and for employees with two or more children, the most important was the ability to plan their own time. The survey commissioned by Estanc was conducted by research firm Norstat at the end of May 2024. A total of 92 mechanical and heating engineers were interviewed. Read RusDelfi wherever it is convenient for you. Follow us on Facebook, Telegram, Instagram or TikTok.
