Employees in India are confident in the job market, as the national employment market continues to develop and expand. With ever-growing career opportunities on the horizon, employees are growing increasingly aware of their own value in the market, according to the Michael Page Employee Survey on Workplace Satisfaction in Asia.

"About 62% of respondents in India said they were either satisfied or very satisfied with their workplace environment compared to just 54% of their counterparts in Asia-Pacific," the survey said.

Based on 4,000 employees across various job levels and industries in Asia-Pacific, it also said that employees in India were more optimistic about the future of their national economy, with 54% of respondents rating their current economy good to excellent against 33% for the rest of Asia-Pacific. Whilst market conditions are clearly impacting the expectations of employees, it is worth employers reviewing and fine-tuning their attraction and retention strategies so that they can bring in and keep the best talent.

There are no surprises when it comes to the most popular websites for a job search, with LinkedIn (used by 82% of respondents) and Naukri (for 79% of respondents) taking the lead. For employers, this reiterates the importance of a strong presence online.

"There is a general sentiment of optimism in India right now. The current economic outlook is positive and professionals are encouraged by the commitment to India from both global and local firms," Michael Page India Managing Director Nicolas Dumoulin said.

"In addition, the government's Make in India initiatives have created more opportunities for India's export market, which has led to increased investment in the manufacturing sector. In particular, firms specialising in the production of chemicals, plastics as well as pharmaceuticals have established operations," added Dumoulin.

Scope for career progression is the most important factor when changing jobs for almost two-thirds of survey respondents (65%), ahead of an increase in salary (56%) and company brand and reputation (45%). Learning and development opportunities are important for 34% of employees, and a better title is a key decision maker for 31%. There is a slight variation in male and female preferences, with females more likely to value company brand and reputation than salary (52% as compared with 48%). Male respondents reverse this trend, with 57% valuing salary and 46% company reputation. 

International opportunities are important for employees in India, with 76% indicating they would consider looking for overseas career opportunities in the next 12 months. Of those survey respondents who would consider working overseas, the number one reason is to broaden experience and learn from international organisations.