What would you take a pay cut for?

Carolyn Hyams is the Asia Pacific Marketing Strategy Manager at Aquent, the leading global staffing firm specialising in marketing, communications and creative talent. After 6 years of working full-time with Aquent, Carolyn is now a proud mother of possibly the most beautiful child ever born and enjoys the flexible work practices that Aquent offers.

A recent survey by Robert Half in New Zealand revealed that 49 percent of the finance and accounting professionals surveyed said they would consider a lower salary in exchange for flexible working hours.

Other factors influencing work/life balance were also top scorers:

• 44 percent said they would consider a lower salary for a better work location and
• 39 percent said they’d consider a trade-off for the ability to work from home or for extra holidays.

Organisational factors were less important, but still rated highly:

• 37 percent said they would consider a lower salary for a better organisational culture
• 33 percent for the chance to work with an inspirational leader and
• 32 percent for the opportunity for fast-tracked career progression.

I’d be interested in what Australians think is important enough to take a pay cut. Or maybe you wouldn’t consider a pay cut at all.

Personally, I probably would take a cut for more flexible working hours (though I have those right now as I work part-time as well as being a mum), but if I were working full-time, it would be very important to me.

So what would you consider a pay cut in return for?