New technology, globalisation and the rising power
of international brands are changing the way we work and fuelling
the competition for talent. This competition is said to be especially
acute in the search for IT skills and for managers with cross-cultural
experience.
In response to this worldwide “talent squeeze”, eight
multinational companies took part in a structured ten-month process
to re-examine their relationships with those who work for them
and to gather views from within a range of other companies. At
the heart of this project, the Career Innovation Survey involved
an external panel of 1,000 young high-flyers from 73 nations in
an Internet-based study to better understand their career aspirations
and to find out about their experience of work.
These high-flyers
have established an employment relationship in which they offer
self-managed performance in return for good experience
and the trust of their employer.
Here are some highlights of the survey’s results.
| Today’s young international
high-flyers have a short career horizon and it will be
difficult – but
not impossible – for companies to retain them. They
plan to stay with their current employers just three years,
although only 8% completely rule out “staying for the
long term”. |
| At
the bottom of the list of “career
values” is Stability. Instead, high-flyers rely more
on their employability – their ability to keep options
open and maximise their personal and professional development – to
ensure future success. |
| Achieving
work-life balance is one of the greatest challenges these
people face. Almost all (94%) are willing to work long
hours to some extent, but nearly one-fifth of these men
and women would like to work part-time and 41% would
like more choice over working hours. |
| Despite their short-term career intentions,
young professionals still express loyalty to their managers,
clients and to their organisations. However their greatest
commitment is to their immediate colleagues and staff. This
highlights the negative effects when an individual is dissatisfied
and leaves. |
| The
majority of these future leaders have a strong psychological “performance contract” with
their employers, but most are searching for a “development
contract”. Almost half report that their company only
invests in their personal development “to a little
extent” (39%) or “not at all” (10%). |
| Over two-thirds (69%) say that an international
work assignment is important for their personal development.
Thirty-six percent would be willing to live and work abroad
for more than five years and, surprisingly, almost half of
those with a partner (48%) or with children (46%) report
their mobility is not constrained. |
| Their
top three “career values” are
Wide Horizons, Work-Life Balance and Professional Expertise.
Wide Horizons refers to maximising future options, meeting
new people, and having new and different experiences. |
| Just
as they seek development for themselves, 85% are also
willing (to a
great or very
great extent) to “coach and develop junior colleagues”.
However, less than half say their employer expects this,
reinforcing for the next generation the belief that development
is not a corporate priority. |
Despite
an apparent reluctance to take risks, many list “start-ups” among
their alternative career options. These entrepreneurial
options are most attractive
to bankers and management consultants. Other preferences
include working for voluntary agencies, non-government
organisations, and – especially – the
United Nations. |
Source: Career Innovation Survey 1999 by Whiteway Research International
|
