FAQs

What is the Confidence Index?

The PageGroup Confidence Index polls job applicants to see what their outlook is regarding the labor market. This index is based only on those that actively applied for a job on Michael Page and Page Personnel websites. The survey covers more than 13,300 questionnaires in Continental Europe in Q1 and 15,600 in Q2 . This includes Spain, Portugal, Italy, Turkey, France, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Austria, Netherlands, Sweden and Belgium.

Who is surveyed?

We survey people that have applied for a job on our Michael Page and Page Personnel websites, whatever their personal situation (unemployed, employed, …). This is then segmented according to the following age groups, those below the age of 30, aged 30-49 and then above 49 years old.

Why use the index?

The Confidence Index will give identical and recurrent calculation of both the perception and professional situation of those actively applying for positions. You will therefore have the opportunity to track, follow and communicate on the candidates mood every quarter and every year. The aim is to have the possibility to track any positive or negative evolution. This can be extended further with cross comparison via regions in Continental Europe.

How is it calculated?

Only the % of active job applicants that agree that the situation will be better are taken in the calculation. The index shows basically the proportion of the most optimistic people. We receive a proportion of optimistic people for each of the 10 indicators.

For example:

How do you perceive your professional situation will be in the next 12 months regarding your skills development?

Worse / Same / Better / No opinion.

If we have 62% of people who answered Better, this 62% will take part of the average calculation of the index.

What exactly is measured?

The main index or the average index given by age is calculated based on the 10 indicators. 6 of them refers to the professional situation and the other 4, about the perception of the market.

Professional situation indicators includes optimist answers regarding the improvement of:

  • Skills development
  • Scope of functions
  • Career promotion
  • Compensation level
  • Work-Life-Balance
  • Whether or not the applicant believes that they need less than 3 months to find a new job.

The perception of the market includes the following 4 indicators:

  • Current job market situation
  • Future job market perception
  • Current economic situation
  • Future economic sitation perception

You can therefore review the perception and professional situation for those aged below 30, 30-49 and above 49 years old for all markets included in the index.