What Next for Employees?

The Towers Watson 2010 Global Workforce Survey provides some interesting insights that should be taken into account by all Leaders when planning for the future of their organisations.  Based on 20,00 workers in 22 countries, some of the key points in the survey include:

• Employees see security as a fast disappearing part of the employment relationship although 76% want a secure position above all else
• Only 38% of employees think that their leaders have a sincere interest in their well-being while less than half think that their leaders inspire and engage them
• Almost 40% of employees are either disenchanted or fully disengaged
• 42% of staff think they have to go elsewhere to advance

As many organisations are finding out, it is one thing to keep employees when they have no other options but, when the upturn does come around – and for some companies, it already has – these employees will start to question how they have been treated during the downturn. The best of these employees will have the earliest options to move to what they consider to be a better job.

Now is the time for Leaders to begin reengaging with employees through, for example, challenging work design, growth opportunities and, putting in place recognition programmes.