It is not all about the money, honey. When 27-year-old Satish Sharma turned down a job offer from a software giant, he was actually saying ‘No’ to a 30 per cent hike. Only because he did not want to leave his fun-loving colleagues, including a genial boss who always listened patiently. It seems Indians work to live, rather than live to work.

A survey by the Netherlands-based Randstad says Indian workforce prioritise pleasant colleagues and job security over salary.

According to the survey, 82 per cent of the employees attach a premium to pleasant colleagues, which is the second highest in the world after China and well above the world average of 60 per cent.

Mr E. Balaji, MD & CEO, Randstad India, says considering employees spend most of their hours at work, salary is often not enough to keep them happy at work. It is imperative for HR managers to create a work environment with a sense of community.

Feel connected factor

Organisations must effectively communicate about their financial performance to employees, making sure they feel connected at work and are safe in their jobs, says Mr Balaji.

Mr Raman, a senior engineer with a leading software company, agrees. “Job security is very important and it is practically difficult to work in an unfriendly environment.”

The report is part of the Randstad Workmonitor Survey 2012. It is a quarterly review that tracks jobseekers’ confidence and job market sentiment and employment trends across 32 countries.

The online study was conducted among a population aged 18-65, working a minimum of 24 hours a week in a paid job (not self-employed). The minimum sample size was 400 interviews a country, using Survey Sampling International, says the release.

Key findings

* 82 per cent of employees felt a higher need for pleasant colleagues at workplace over salary. This is well above the world average of 60 per cent.

* 68 per cent said a better salary was a more important factor than enjoying the work they did.

* About 90 per cent said that they have close friendships with some of their colleagues; about 80 per cent meet their colleagues outside work hours.

* About 70 per cent of them said romantic relationships occur between colleagues from time to time in their organisation.