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When the going gets tough, the most committed employees can be found in India where 71% seems willing to forego part of their salary if this could help save jobs, finds a global survey.

The quarterly Randstad Workmonitor study also finds that 76% of India's workers agree that receiving pay cuts in order to keep your own job can count on a bit more sympathy. In terms of job satisfaction, India again ranks highest among Asia-Pacific countries. Indian employees are also the most ambitious.

Worldwide, 82% of employees agree that they "work to live rather than live to work." The exception is Luxembourg where only 23% agrees with this statement. Globally, more than half (58%) considers enjoyable work to be more important than a good salary, especially in the Nordics (around 80%).

Salary is a much stronger driver in Hong Kong, Malaysia and India where only a third of the respondents agree with this statement. Sixty percent would rather work with pleasant colleagues than getting a good salary. China scores especially high with 88%.

Meanwhile, significant fear of job loss has increased in India (+8%) and Malaysia (+4%).

Relationships in the workplace

More than half (64 percent) of the respondents indicate they meet up with co-workers outside working hours and 71% have close friendships with colleagues, especially in Brazil (93%) and Hong Kong (91%).

On average, 57% admits romantic relationships occur in the workplace from time to time. This happens more often in China, India and Malaysia (approximately 70%). In Japan (33%) romantic relationships in the workplace are less common.

Employees in India (63%) strongly believe romantic relationships interfere with performance at work.

On a global average, 40% of employees share that view. Seventy-two percent says a romantic relationship in the workplace does not need to be problematic. Scores are especially high in Spain, Mexico and Hong Kong (around 81%).

When a romantic relationship occurs, up to 44% believes one of the two must be transferred to another department. Resignation is a bridge too far though: only 24% feels you should resign from the job when romantically involved.

Mobility Index declines
After three quarters of growth, the Mobility Index has decreased from 107 to 106, which is the level of Q2, 2011. Fewer employees worldwide expect to be employed elsewhere in the coming 6 months than they did last quarter. 

The indices of Hong Kong and Chile have both decreased, but at 126 and 117 are still much higher than average. With 142 points, India's Mobility Index remains the highest of all countries.

Globally, common reasons to look for a new job are: better employment conditions (33%), organisational circumstances (28%) or a personal desire for change (26%).

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