By Howard Schneider

(Reuters) – Workers are demanding more security and flexibility, bolstered in part by the pandemic, tight labor markets, and firms trying to bring employees back into offices. This is what payroll provider ADP revealed to nearly 33,000 respondents worldwide.

Two-thirds (63%) of respondents to the survey said they would be open to looking for work if forced to return to their office.

In a 2021 similar survey, 36% of workers felt their work was secure. This number has fallen to 25%. With nearly one-third of respondents considering starting a job search, the share who are looking for new work increased from 15% to 23 percent, compared with 24% in 2021.

A half of employees said they weren’t satisfied at all or very little with their jobs. ADP reported that the issues that emerged from the pandemic, such as the hours and location of work, unpaid time and stress, were driving workers to either negotiate their terms or plan for an exit.

“The pandemic has sparked a rethink of priorities and workers are signaling a willingness to walk away if employers don’t meet their standards on a variety of fronts,” the ADP survey concluded.

This study tracks U.S. data and shows that there is high turnover in jobs as well as close-record levels of vacancies. Firms struggle to hire workers.

This mismatch in the demand for jobs and the available workers is driving wage increases in certain industries. It is also one of the main tensions U.S. Federal Reserve officials believe must be addressed to reduce high inflation.

The pandemic persists. Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP, stated that the stress caused by the pandemic has not diminished but increased.