Address the disconnect between employer and employee expectations

Two thirds of employees are actively looking, or open to a new job. Yet, employers report a continual struggle to find the right talent for their organisations. What’s going on?

In an effort to better understand what workers consider when deciding to stay at their current job or accept a new position, ADP Research Institute® (ADPRI) surveyed employees and employers in 13 countries. The responses highlight a disconnect between workers and their employers around important factors such as talent management, retention, and corporate performance.

A majority of employees take pride in their work and have greater loyalty to their companies than employers estimate, the survey reveals. But globalisation of business, domestic and world politics, corporate profits and automation erode the confidence that employees feel in their companies and the work they perform. While the continued rise of multinational corporations and a global workforce have led to more efficient and streamlined business practices, they have also created a one size fits all script to HR policies that risks being too impersonal to attract and retain the best talent.

The me vs. we mindset

Priorities and attitudes vary among different regions of the globe, but it’s safe to say the heart of the disconnect among employers and employees is the micro/macro view: Employees concentrate on the day-to-day—what’s important for them today, and will impact them at work. Employers focus on the bigger picture and long term view—what’s the health of the business and how well developed is long-term career pathing?

Although employers recognise that performance management and career planning will be the top drivers of talent management in the future, employees remain wary about the meaningfulness and fairness of these initiatives. Companies that can bridge this disconnect between management and employee expectations—and are able to understand and address the nuances of different attitudes by region/country—will be better positioned in an increasingly competitive era to recruit and retain global talent.