These Old Workplace Sayings Just Don’t Apply Anymore
A few weeks ago, I ran across this press release from Blessing White regarding employee expectations for 2014. The release included a couple of interesting statistics:
The idea that the immediate manager is the main reason people consider leaving is an outdated concept – three quarters (75%) of respondents do not credit managers with such influence.
Despite the care and attention, a significant portion (44%) of employees would rather be working for themselves – a sense of individualism and entrepreneurship that employees would do well to tap into.
It made me realize those statements we’ve said for years about “people don’t leave companies; they leave managers” and “everyone wants to be full-time” might not be true anymore. Well honestly, I’ve known that workplace opinions changed but now we’re starting to see data to back it up.
Within the past five years, organizations have told employees they’re in charge of their own careers. Initially, it was a way to avoid spending money on training (IMHO). Employees are taking that to heart. They do want to control their own careers – make the amount of money they want, work the hours they want, dress the way they want, and learn what they want to learn.
I wonder if companies realized when they gave employees the “you need to own your career development” speech that they took some authority away from managers. Career development used to be a partnership. Now that employees have been exposed to being in charge of their careers, they like it and don’t want to give the authority back.
[Tweet “These Old Workpace Sayings Just Don’t Apply Anymore”]
You could be saying…but what happens to training? Companies still control that. And for right now, I agree. But if the skills gap gets as bad as the experts say, will companies still be in control of training? Or will training become a reactionary effort based upon market demands?
It is fascinating and exciting to be a part of this workplace change.
0