How engaged is your workforce? If you answered, “not very engaged” then we’ve got bad news: these disengaged workers will be leaving your company as soon as they receive an offer from someone else. And that someone else may very well be your competition!
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New research, released by CareerBuilder, shows that employees are split on how they feel about their current job: 50% feel like they have a career while the remaining 50% feel like they have “just a job.” Additional findings reveal that 32% of employees plan to change jobs this year.
Job-Hopping Is Common
In this candidate-driven market, it’s no surprise that job-hopping is on the rise. CareerBuilder finds that more than one-quarter of employees (29%) say they regularly search for jobs while employed, and 78% say that even though they are not actively looking for a new role, they would be open if the right opportunity came along.
Low unemployment and high demand for talent are feeding a recruiting environment where jobseekers and new employees are in control. Fifty-one percent report they’ve looked for other jobs even when an offer has been extended and the background check is in process and 67% of employers report almost a quarter of new hires not showing up after accepting a position.
Due to the tight labor market, employers cannot risk losing top talent these days. So, what can you do to invigorate your workforce and make them more engaged? Start by focusing on your employees’ experience—at every level of the employee lifecycle.
Candidate Experience Sets the Tone
The jobseeker experience is paramount. CareerBuilder explains that more than 70% of their consumer audience is on mobile devices, and employees say an application that is difficult or confusing to complete (42%), or one that takes too long to complete (31%), would cause them to give up before submitting.
In the midst of a mobile-first and on-demand world, employers have to meet candidates where they are. AI-driven mobile capabilities can bring a richer, more intuitive experience and match companies and qualified talent more effectively. Be sure to offer candidates an application that is designed to be done on a mobile device and one that isn’t too cumbersome or labor-intensive.
By offering candidates a mobile-friendly, easy application process, you’re setting the tone for a great experience from the get-go.
Professional Development Opportunities Provide for Career Growth
To fill vacant roles, an increasing number of companies are training workers who may not have the skills needed but do have the potential for higher-skill jobs. According to CareerBuilder’s findings, 56% of employers have paid for employees to get skills-based training or continued education outside the office so they can move up to a higher-skill job within their organization, and a growing number of companies will need to invest in training as they revamp their offerings to compete for talent.
Many employees want to get ahead in their career but aren’t offered educational opportunities to learn the skills needed to do so. CareerBuilder finds that only 32% of employees are satisfied with the opportunities for career advancement and just 37% are satisfied with the training and learning opportunities at their current company.
Additionally, the majority (58%) think their company does not offer enough opportunities to learn new skills and help them move up in their career. If offered, 73% of employees whose companies do not currently offer educational opportunities or workshops outside of work hours say they would be likely to participate if they were available.
By offering employees the opportunities to grow and develop, you’re showing them that you care about their future with your company, which in turn, will keep your workers engaged and sticking around much longer.
Learn from the nation’s top learning and employee engagement professionals how to build a superior professional development program that supports business growth and workforce retention—when you attend Workforce L&D 2019, click here to learn more.
Offer Benefits that Meet Your Workforce’s Needs
Benefits and convenience may be more important than compensation. CareerBuilder finds that 15% of employees say low compensation or lack of benefits are among the top reasons they left their last job.
Employees shared that other than salary, benefits (75%) and commute time (59%) are the most important factors they consider when applying to a job. When asked about extra perks, 42% of employees say half-day Fridays would make them more willing to join or stay at a company. On-site fitness centers (23%) and award trips (21%) are also important to jobseekers.
Work/life balance continues to be extremely important to workers at all levels. In order to know what types of work perks your employees want, consider polling them to get their insight. Perks are a great way to attract talent, but you want to be sure you’re offering the types of benefits that keep workers sticking around.
Candidate and employee experience will continue to dominate the HR world, and employers who take this into consideration will stand out in the war for talent.
