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11

Dec, 2017

Accommodating the expectations of employers and the wishes of employees: tomorrow’s real challenge

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ADP Research Institute®[1] conducted an online survey of more than 5000 employees and 3000 employers from companies with at least 50 employees, from 13 different countries. The result: a disconnect between the perception of employees and that of their managers in regards to recruitment, talent retention and management and company performance. More than ever, HR departments have their role to play in the evolution of the workplace 2.0…

Employers struggle to find profiles matching the needs of their organisations. However, the result of the survey showed that in most companies, there’s opposition between the small and large-scale visions: where the employees are more focused on the daily aspects of their work, employers have more of a global approach that leads them to neglect the importance of these daily experiences.

Two key steps: taking care of appearances and loyalty

Loyal employees seeking new opportunities

Contrary to popular belief, one of the most prevalent emotions felt by employees was their loyalty towards their companies, especially in Europe. However, given that more than 60% of them believe that job security does not exist today, this did not prevent them from remaining open to new perspectives. Therefore, on a global scale, 66% of employees are searching for or are open to changing jobs.

At the same time, employers state that they are preoccupied with their employees’ future while still allowing themselves to recruit candidates externally to replace them, which does not favor trust from either side.

Do not overestimate your strengths

European employers tend to exaggerate the impact of certain benefits that their employees (health insurance, in-house gym, etc.) receive. However, it’s not these kinds of assets that influence their decision to initially join an organisation.

Employers and HR departments need to set themselves apart from their competition when they are searching for talent.

Knowing what motivates employees

Nowadays, having a work-life balance is essential. Therefore, scheduling and flexibility lead the pack in terms of conditions motivating job seekers to choose and stay at a company. Employers wrongly believe that opportunities for professional development are a priority for employees, however it is the daily work environment and the actual nature of the work that they value more.

Moreover, 60% of employees stated that they had quit a job because the employer had not met their initial expectations: keeping promises made when hiring aids in maintaining trust.

Favoring internal mobility

Employees are not always aware of the available positions within their own company, whereas employers believe that they are well informed.

The dark spot in talent management

An underestimated need for recognition

Globally, employees feel accomplished in regards to their work but do not feel sufficiently valued, even though this is one of the key factors in ensuring job satisfaction. This is mostly the case in Europe, more particularly in France, where only 23% of employees feel valued.

Even though most of them would like to actively participate in the development of their organisation, they sometimes struggle to identify their importance within it. In Europe, only 56% of employees feel valued and useful.

Two opposing visions

The disconnect between employers and their employees is mostly due to a difference in vision in terms of skills management:

  • Employees seek direct and personal relationships, and they struggle to identify the need and fairness of the processes.
  • Employers want to evaluate performance and distinguish the return on their investment.

The quality of talent management is overestimated

Less than half of the employees questioned find that their company manages their talents efficiently, which is what employers feel is normally their strength.

Once again, it is in France that the disconnect is the strongest: 60% of employers believed that their companies lead an adequate talent management department, compared to only 25% of employees.

Per the employees, it’s in the area of career planning and performance that the failure is the most compelling.

Training and development: can do better

Only 40% of European employees believe that their career path within the company is clearly defined (compared to 68% of employers).

Making the business a personal matter

Creating sense

According to certain sociological studies, work is linked to a sense of accomplishment and makes up an integral part of a person’s identity[2].

Favoring human connection

Employees regard human connections, in terms of loyalty, a vital importance.

A bad relationship with a direct manager can push an employee to seek employment elsewhere. However, less than half of employees feel connected to their direct supervisor. The HR departments must therefore consider new solutions to bolster the rapport between employees and their supervisors.

Adopt a personal and proactive approach to talent management

The “universal” approach to skills management has shown its limits. HR departments must now focus on the personal qualities and strengths of employees.

In the same way, it is often wise to ask employees to quantify and specify their qualities and strengths, and to encourage them to share their ideas about future roles and responsibilities they would like to take on within the company.

Having innovative and efficient technologies is an asset; however, it is not sufficient to make employees feel valued and recognized. Yet, per the study by ADP, job satisfaction is tied to all other feelings at work. Therefore, satisfied employees give their organization a higher rating in all the fields relating to talent management. In an increasingly competitive environment, proving to one’s employees that they matter and that they are valued can make a significant contribution to the company’s bottom line.

Driven by this conviction, the experts at Skillspotting can help you put the human back at the heart of your business. This is a crucial issue for tomorrow…

Sources :

 

[1]ADP Research Institute helps leaders in the public and private sectors to better understand the management of human capital, job trends and strategies linked to human resources.

[2]Cf Neil Irwin, What if sociologists had as much influence as economists? www.nytimes.com

 

Crédits photos :

© Le Moal Olivier / 123RF
© Dusit Panyakhom / 123RF