TORONTO -- (Marketwire) -- 04/17/12 -- Many employees across Canada have become disengaged from their work, with less than half feeling valued by their employers, and more than one-quarter saying they frequently think about quitting, according to the latest survey results from global workforce solutions leader, Kelly Services®.

More than two-thirds (69 percent) of those surveyed say they definitely intend to look for a new job with another employer within the next year.

"Employees have experienced unprecedented economic turmoil. As a result, they are restless regarding their future career goals. Unless employers can offer meaningful work and ongoing opportunities for growth, many employees feel it is in their best interest to keep their career options open," said Kelly Services VP and General Manager of Canadian Operations Kristin Supancich.

The findings are part of the latest survey results from the Kelly Global Workforce Index (KGWI), an annual survey conducted by Kelly Services. Almost 170,000 people in 30 countries participated in the survey, including more than 9,000 in Canada.

The survey examines the factors employees use to evaluate potential employers, the people who influence their career choices, and the use of social media in making job decisions.

Results of the survey in Canada show:

• Among the main workforce generations, Baby Boomers (aged 49-66) are the most likely to switch employers, with 74 percent planning to look for another position in the next year, compared with 68 percent of both Gen X (31-48) and Gen Y (aged 19-30).
  
  
• Slightly less than half (47 percent) of those surveyed say they are happy in their jobs.
  
  
• Fewer than half of all respondents (41 percent) say that their current employment provides them with a sense of 'meaning.' The ability to 'excel or develop' was identified by 81 percent of respondents as the key to providing a sense of meaning.
  
  
• When considering one position over another, survey respondents cited personal fulfilment and personal growth/advancement as two main areas of consideration. Both of these attributes exceeded compensation and benefits.
  
  
• More than one-third (41 percent) use social media networks when making career or employment decisions.
  
  

"We see many people who are unhappy in their jobs and are actively searching for new opportunities. Others are reasonably content but as the economy improves, seek greater engagement and meaning, and are prepared to walk away from work arrangements that are not providing them with a sense of accomplishment," Supancich concludes.

Global findings are published in a new report, Acquisition and Retention in the War for Talent. For more information about the Kelly Global Workforce Index including key regional and generational findings, please visit the Kelly® Press Room or www.kellyservices.com. Canadian results can be found by visiting kellyservices.ca.

About the Kelly Global Workforce Index™

The Kelly Global Workforce Index is an annual survey revealing opinions about work and the workplace from a generational viewpoint. Launched in late 2011, approximately 170,000 people from the Americas, APAC and EMEA participated in the survey. Results will be published throughout 2012 on a variety of topics such as employee retention, social media and the highly virtual workplace.

About Kelly Services®

Kelly Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: KELYA) (NASDAQ: KELYB) is a leader in providing workforce solutions. Kelly® offers a comprehensive array of outsourcing and consulting services as well as world-class staffing on a temporary, temporary-to-hire and direct-hire basis. Serving clients around the globe, Kelly provides employment to more than 550,000 employees annually. Revenue in 2011 was $5.6 billion. Visit www.kellyservices.com and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Download The Talent Project, a free iPad app by Kelly Services.