Job security is the strongest reason Belgian employees give for remaining with their employer, according to a Partena Professional survey reported by The Brussels Times. The findings place stability ahead of salary and suggest that keeping staff involves more than a pay offer. They also distinguish employees’ reasons for staying from evidence about how many actually change jobs.
Among respondents, 58% selected job security, followed by work-life balance at 49.5%. The nature of the work attracted 44.7%, commuting considerations 38.1% and salary 35.1%. Pay therefore ranked fifth among the 12 reasons presented.
A retention survey, rather than a resignation forecast
Partena’s own announcement confirms the leading role of job security and says the research was conducted with iVOX among 1,000 Belgian workers. The methodology accompanying the chart published by The Brussels Times dates fieldwork to 31 July–19 August 2026.
The percentages should not be read as exclusive shares of the workforce. More than one reason can matter to an employee, and the reported responses add up to considerably more than 100%. Nor does the result mean that 58% believe their present job is at risk: it measures the importance attached to security as a reason to stay.
That distinction matters for employers interpreting lower turnover. Staff remaining in post may value predictability while still having concerns about their work or compensation. Staying with an organisation and being fully satisfied with it are different propositions; this survey does not measure them as the same outcome.
Pay remains part of a wider employment package
The results also point to differences within the workforce. French-speaking respondents were more likely than Dutch speakers to cite salary as a reason to remain. Women were less likely than men to identify it as a retention factor, according to the report.
Partena consultant Yves Stox linked the preference for stability to economic uncertainty. That is the company’s interpretation of the findings, rather than proof that economic conditions caused any individual worker to reject a job offer.
For employers, the practical message is to consider the whole employment relationship: predictable work, manageable daily routines and the substance of the role alongside pay. The survey provides a picture of what respondents value, while actual recruitment and resignation decisions would require separate evidence.
