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Talent Strategies Prescribed for Battered Work Environs
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Talent Strategies Prescribed for Battered Work Environs
The effect of a troubled economy on employees’ morale and sense of job security—as well as on middle managers’ own job satisfaction and frustration—points to a need for employers to take talent management action, says a top Accenture official.
“In an uncertain economic environment, employers will need to take extra care in keeping employees engaged and ensuring that they maintain their job performance,” warns David Smith, managing director of Accenture’s Talent & Organization Performance practice in North America, in a press release.
Accenture surveyed 322 U.S. middle managers in September 2008 and found nearly two-thirds said the economy is hurting their work environments; 61 percent said employees are concerned about losing their jobs or that morale is down.
It’s affecting their ability to motivate employees, according to Smith, who says communication, mentoring and continuing skill development programs are key to overcoming this.
Most middle managers considered themselves satisfied with their organization—ranging from the highly satisfied (47 percent) to somewhat satisfied (41 percent) to dissatisfied (12 percent).
Two-thirds of middle managers would consider another job, but only 13 percent say they are looking actively. Taking a new job now is too risky, nearly half said. Most plan to stay put until the economy improves. Meanwhile, a little more than one-fourth are trying to shore up their job security by working harder or putting in longer hours.
In the face of all this, employers who don’t take action now could face a talent turnover when the economy improves, warns Smith.
More than ever, organizations must focus on talent management, he advised HR.
“The reality is you have to stay disciplined with your talent strategies. We are going through a major change.”
“Very few employers and HR organizations really understand their employees the way they need to do today,” he said. “What’s the skills index of the organization vs. the employee base? That skills inventory is really, really important. And what is the skills needs inventory of the company in the future? That’s a gap that we see in many, many organizations.”
Smith pointed to the anxiety that comes through in the findings and recommends providing mobility within the organization, including lateral mobility. Lack of advancement opportunity was the second biggest reason given, after insufficient compensation or benefits, for middle-manager job dissatisfaction.
“Continuing to have the right level of mobility for middle mangers is important. In difficult times it can become very static,” and the temptation is not to move people to new roles, he said.
HR Magazine reported in its April 2008 issue that nearly half of large organizations that perform succession planning are extending that planning to the middle-manager level, a tactic that could help address middle-manager concerns about advancing at their organizations.
Training as a Strategy
Don’t stint on training during an economic downturn, Smith said. He emphasized the importance of customized training, seeing it as another way to keep the workforce engaged in difficult times.
“You’ve got a segment [of your workforce] that needs mentors and reverse mentors, you’ve got a segment of your workforce that needs to focus on their retention issues,” he said.
More than two-thirds of middle managers think that the management training that their organizations provide is good or fair, but organizations might want to include training on supervising a multigenerational workforce.
About one-third of those with direct reports say this is a challenge, with more than half citing Generation Y workers as the most challenging to work with or manage. This would be a good area for reverse mentoring, Smith suggested.
Another training topic: how to deliver bad news such as layoffs and cuts in salary or benefits. Only 13 percent of middle managers said they received any guidance on how to perform this task, even though nearly three-fourths were asked to do so. And while about half think it’s appropriate to be the bearer of bad news, slightly more than half said upper management or HR should help; some said it should fall to their supervisor or HR.
Middle managers rated HR good or fair (both 33 percent) in its support for helping them manage staff performance. Most said HR’s support in helping them develop their staff was good or fair (31 percent and 36 percent, respectively).
Other Issues
Concern about downsizing (30 percent), an inability to balance work and life (27 percent) and being unable to telecommute (27 percent) also were causes of middle managers’ job dissatisfaction.
Accenture found a generational divide concerning a lack of flexible work hours. Those ages 30 and younger are significantly more likely to mention it as a cause of job dissatisfaction (39 percent) vs. those 31 and older (19 percent).
Male middle managers were more likely than females to cite a lack of fit with the company culture as a reason for job dissatisfaction (19 percent vs. 6 percent).
Insufficient compensation is not only the top source of dissatisfaction, it’s also the most frustrating aspect of their jobs, middle managers said, although SHRM Online has reported U.S. companies plan to keep pay raises steady for 2009.
Adding to their frustration level:
• Increasing workload, particularly among those at organizations with more than 500 employees.
• Not getting credit for their work.
• No clear career path.
• Less support to perform their job effectively.
• No support from supervisor.
• Work/life balance.
• Expected to be available outside work hours.
• Spending too many hours in meetings.
Two-thirds said their employer has not taken steps to help employees cope with a weak economy; most cited telecommuting and allowing four-day work weeks as examples of what could be done.
“They have very high expectations during the beginning of this transition into more uncertain times,” he said. “They expect to be given training opportunities. They expect to have different levels of communications” and want some flexibility in their schedules.
In addition, they want frequent, clear messages from their organization, he said, about “how they’re managing their way through these difficult times.”
Accenture’s findings are from web-based interviews conducted in the United States among a panel of full-time workers who consider themselves middle managers.
Source:
http://www.shrm.org/hrnews_published/archives/CMS_027257.asp#P-8_0
“In an uncertain economic environment, employers will need to take extra care in keeping employees engaged and ensuring that they maintain their job performance,” warns David Smith, managing director of Accenture’s Talent & Organization Performance practice in North America, in a press release.
Accenture surveyed 322 U.S. middle managers in September 2008 and found nearly two-thirds said the economy is hurting their work environments; 61 percent said employees are concerned about losing their jobs or that morale is down.
It’s affecting their ability to motivate employees, according to Smith, who says communication, mentoring and continuing skill development programs are key to overcoming this.
Most middle managers considered themselves satisfied with their organization—ranging from the highly satisfied (47 percent) to somewhat satisfied (41 percent) to dissatisfied (12 percent).
Two-thirds of middle managers would consider another job, but only 13 percent say they are looking actively. Taking a new job now is too risky, nearly half said. Most plan to stay put until the economy improves. Meanwhile, a little more than one-fourth are trying to shore up their job security by working harder or putting in longer hours.
In the face of all this, employers who don’t take action now could face a talent turnover when the economy improves, warns Smith.
More than ever, organizations must focus on talent management, he advised HR.
“The reality is you have to stay disciplined with your talent strategies. We are going through a major change.”
“Very few employers and HR organizations really understand their employees the way they need to do today,” he said. “What’s the skills index of the organization vs. the employee base? That skills inventory is really, really important. And what is the skills needs inventory of the company in the future? That’s a gap that we see in many, many organizations.”
Smith pointed to the anxiety that comes through in the findings and recommends providing mobility within the organization, including lateral mobility. Lack of advancement opportunity was the second biggest reason given, after insufficient compensation or benefits, for middle-manager job dissatisfaction.
“Continuing to have the right level of mobility for middle mangers is important. In difficult times it can become very static,” and the temptation is not to move people to new roles, he said.
HR Magazine reported in its April 2008 issue that nearly half of large organizations that perform succession planning are extending that planning to the middle-manager level, a tactic that could help address middle-manager concerns about advancing at their organizations.
Training as a Strategy
Don’t stint on training during an economic downturn, Smith said. He emphasized the importance of customized training, seeing it as another way to keep the workforce engaged in difficult times.
“You’ve got a segment [of your workforce] that needs mentors and reverse mentors, you’ve got a segment of your workforce that needs to focus on their retention issues,” he said.
More than two-thirds of middle managers think that the management training that their organizations provide is good or fair, but organizations might want to include training on supervising a multigenerational workforce.
About one-third of those with direct reports say this is a challenge, with more than half citing Generation Y workers as the most challenging to work with or manage. This would be a good area for reverse mentoring, Smith suggested.
Another training topic: how to deliver bad news such as layoffs and cuts in salary or benefits. Only 13 percent of middle managers said they received any guidance on how to perform this task, even though nearly three-fourths were asked to do so. And while about half think it’s appropriate to be the bearer of bad news, slightly more than half said upper management or HR should help; some said it should fall to their supervisor or HR.
Middle managers rated HR good or fair (both 33 percent) in its support for helping them manage staff performance. Most said HR’s support in helping them develop their staff was good or fair (31 percent and 36 percent, respectively).
Other Issues
Concern about downsizing (30 percent), an inability to balance work and life (27 percent) and being unable to telecommute (27 percent) also were causes of middle managers’ job dissatisfaction.
Accenture found a generational divide concerning a lack of flexible work hours. Those ages 30 and younger are significantly more likely to mention it as a cause of job dissatisfaction (39 percent) vs. those 31 and older (19 percent).
Male middle managers were more likely than females to cite a lack of fit with the company culture as a reason for job dissatisfaction (19 percent vs. 6 percent).
Insufficient compensation is not only the top source of dissatisfaction, it’s also the most frustrating aspect of their jobs, middle managers said, although SHRM Online has reported U.S. companies plan to keep pay raises steady for 2009.
Adding to their frustration level:
• Increasing workload, particularly among those at organizations with more than 500 employees.
• Not getting credit for their work.
• No clear career path.
• Less support to perform their job effectively.
• No support from supervisor.
• Work/life balance.
• Expected to be available outside work hours.
• Spending too many hours in meetings.
Two-thirds said their employer has not taken steps to help employees cope with a weak economy; most cited telecommuting and allowing four-day work weeks as examples of what could be done.
“They have very high expectations during the beginning of this transition into more uncertain times,” he said. “They expect to be given training opportunities. They expect to have different levels of communications” and want some flexibility in their schedules.
In addition, they want frequent, clear messages from their organization, he said, about “how they’re managing their way through these difficult times.”
Accenture’s findings are from web-based interviews conducted in the United States among a panel of full-time workers who consider themselves middle managers.
Source:
http://www.shrm.org/hrnews_published/archives/CMS_027257.asp#P-8_0
