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WHAT MATTERS MOST? A WHITE PAPER ABOUT ORGANIZATIONAL STAY FACTORS UPDATED FINDINGS OCTOBER 2012 CAREER SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL A BEVERLY KAYE COMPANY & JORDAN EVANS GROUP

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Page 1: WHAT MATTERS MOST? · 2012. 10. 25. · What matters most to you?” Respondents select their top three stay factors (ranked in importance) from the list of 13. Additionally, we ask

WHAT MATTERS MOST?

A WHITE PAPER ABOUT ORGANIZATIONAL STAY FACTORSUPDATED FINDINGSOCTOBER 2012

CAREER SYSTEMS INTERNATIONALA BEVERLY KAYE COMPANY

& JORDAN EVANS GROUP

Page 2: WHAT MATTERS MOST? · 2012. 10. 25. · What matters most to you?” Respondents select their top three stay factors (ranked in importance) from the list of 13. Additionally, we ask

What keeps an employee with anemployer? What keeps talent fullyengaged on the job? Beverly Kaye,Sharon Jordan-Evans and theirorganizations have been researchingthis question for the past fourteenyears. Their findings offer insight intowhat keeps today’s worker in andcommitted to an organization. It alsobreaks down stay factors by a varietyof demographic variables, includingage, gender, job function, job level andindustry.

This report presents the latest findingsabout why people stay, both physicallyand psychologically. Future reportswill be released as the number ofresponses significantly increases orany noteworthy changes in the overallresults are identified.

About the Research

The Question and Process

Beverly Kaye, Sharon Jordan-Evans,and their organizations have spentmore than fourteen years collectingdata from over 17,000 employees in avariety of occupations, at all levels, inorganizations of all sizes, in a widerange of industries and market sectors.Originally, the research questionpresented was: “Think back to a timewhen you stayed in an organization fora while. What kept you? Whatmattered most?” Responses werecollected on paper, and then coded forstatistical analysis. The answers fromthe first 15,670 respondents yielded alist of 20 stay factors.

In 2009, our research experts analyzedthat list and reduced it to 13 stayfactors. That reduction from 20 to 13

was based on the following criteria: (a)the items differentiate (i.e. there is no,or very limited overlap in meaningamong the items), and (b) the listincludes items that came up “high” inboth our older and newer researchstudies. The 13 stay factors becamethe foundation for our on-line surveyhttp://whatkeepsyou.csiprogram.com/(2009 to present), which asksrespondents to “Think about why youstay in an organization. What keepsyou there? What matters most toyou?” Respondents select their topthree stay factors (ranked inimportance) from the list of 13.Additionally, we ask respondents torate the degree (1-5) to which eachfactor is being met in the current job.

The Results

The following pages present researchbackground and key findings from ourongoing engagement and retentionresearch. We reference all data, fromthe initial WKY survey #1 (1998-2008)and the updated, on-line WKY survey#2 (2009-present). Demographicbreakdowns are also provided forthose who wish to explore the researchfindings in greater detail or seekinformation about the retention driversfor a particular demographic group.

If you need any of the following, pleasecall 800-577-6916 or email yourrequest to [email protected]:

More information about the!research or findings presented inthis report, including hard data

Support for your retention or!engagement-related initiatives

A copy of previous reports!PREFACE! 2012 Career Systems International & Jordan Evans Group, Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans

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Research Background

Engagement and Retention …Today’s Talent ManagementImperative

One of the major setbacks in building acompetitive, profitable organization isthe loss of talented employees and theconsequent loss of momentum andproductivity. That is true in a strong orweak economy, with high or lowunemployment rates. Talentedemployees can leave the organizationin two ways. Some leave physically,heading out your door and straight toyour competitor. Others leavepsychologically, disengaging, mentallychecking out but physically stayingput. Either form of voluntary departurecreates big costs for organizations.

Two recessions since 2000 (the secondof which was the largest since theGreat Depression) created a talentsmokescreen and caused manymanagers (at all levels) to becomecomplacent, even smug about theneed to engage and retain their talent.They believed the threat of losing goodpeople had diminished as voluntaryturnover rates dropped. Manymanagers resurrected a phrase spokento their employees a decade earlier,“Quit whining — be glad you have ajob.” Employees, hearing that phrase,in turn assumed a bunker mentalityand disengaged, withdrawingdiscretionary effort. Many of themconcurrently launched stealth jobsearches.

An ongoing Gallup study reports thatonly 26% of the U.S. workingpopulation is engaged (loyal andproductive), 55% are not engaged (just

putting in time), and 19% are activelydisengaged (unhappy and spreadingtheir discontent). They also report thatthis disengagement is costing theAmerican economy up to $350 billionper year in lost productivity. Ourassessment, based on the Gallupfigures, is that each employer iswasting approximately 10% of itspayroll dollars on lost productivity dueto these levels of disengagement.

What will happen next as the economystrengthens, choices becomeincreasingly available, and agingBoomers begin to retire? Will talentstay with their organizations or willthey go? Recent research byCNN/Money revealed that anunbelievable eight out of ten workersplan to look for a new job when theeconomy lights come back on. Butlosing your talent is not inevitable.There are many things you can do tokeep them engaged and on your team.

The odds of engaging and retainingtalent during any economy are directlyrelated to the degree to whichcompanies are providing whatemployees really want from theirjobs. And what people reallywant hasn’t changed much,despite dramatic economicswings. Our findings show thatthe top engagement and retentiondrivers are largely the sametoday, as we leave tworecessions behind, asthey were amidbothrecessionsand at thepeak of thetight labormarket in 2000.

RESEARCHBACKGROUND

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As the global economy increasinglybecomes knowledge-based,organizations must build cultures thatengage and retain talent if they are tosurvive, let alone thrive. We see thespotlight focusing again onengagement and retention for sevenreasons:

1Demographics and thepopulation hourglass fuelconcern about skill shortages.Baby Boomers throughout theworld are already beginning toleave the workforce, eithercompletely or on a part-time basis,creating a demographicearthquake as they take theirinstitutional memory, well-honedproductivity, leadership skills andexperience with them. AManpower study found the 1/3 ofmanagers worldwide struggle to fillskilled positions, despite increasedunemployment rates. The key is tocheck your own backyard (yourindustry, function, geography). Areyou worried about having enoughskilled workers?

2Workers’ attitudes andexpectations have shifted.Workers today will tell you, “Growme, challenge me, care about me,or I’ll find someone who will.”Blind loyalty to an organization is athing of the past, and the layoffs ofthe past recession have furtherreinforced that attitude. Today’semployment agreement is basedinstead on a mutual contract —- Ibring my best to the organizationand in return the organizationprovides me learning, growth,reward and respect.

3New employment optionscontinuously lure the best andthe brightest. Talented peoplealways have choices and yourcompetitors want your best andbrightest. Additionally, the free-agent alternative (contract, part-time, temporary work) is beckoningcountless workers, makingretention all the more challenging.

4New job search methods make iteasier to uncover opportunities.Jobseekers may not even have toleave their desks, thanks toInternet job sites (e.g.Monster.com) that provide readyaccess for two-way jobexploration, locally and abroad.And headhunters are alwayslooking for the best people—themajority of whom are employedand, often, not even activelyseeking employment elsewhere.And don’t forget social media.Their next job offer may comebecause they are linked in!

5The cost of losing talent is high,no matter what the economicconditions. Experts across theboard agree that the cost ofreplacing talented workers caneasily average two times theirannual salary, not including theindirect costs of lost knowledge,lost clients or sales, declining

morale, and rising inefficiencies.Replacing platinum workers (thosewith highly specialized skills) costsfour to five times their annualsalaries.

6In times of uncertainty, the risksfor losing top talent areespecially high. Workplaceexperts report that survivors ofdownsizing — the workers whoremain in their jobs after thecutback announcements anddepartures — begin to walk out thedoor six to 12 months after theinitial layoffs. They are often over-worked, underappreciated andlooking for greener pastures.Those that stay may disengage,threatening productivity and teammorale. If you’re in the midst of, orjust emerged from big changes,you’re at risk.

7In the new economy, talent is akey differentiator. Advances intechnology increasingly level the

competitive playing field, withtalented employees increasinglybecoming the only competitiveadvantage. One executive put itthis way, “We all have the money.We all have the technology. Theonly differentiator is the people.” Isthat true for you?

! 2012 Career Systems International & Jordan Evans Group, Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans

“We are entering the era of unparalleled talent scarcitywhich, if left unaddressed, will put a brake on economicgrowth around the world, and will fundamentally changethe way we approach the workforce challenges.”

World Economic Forum

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What’s Old is New AgainWhat are our latest findings about whypeople stay in an organization “for awhile”? We’re learning that stayfactors or engagement/retention

drivers haven’t significantlychanged over the past 14years, from the start of the

talent wars through tworecessions and intogradually improvingeconomic health. We’ve

also found that when weclosely scrutinize the data, wecan see some subtle differences

among demographic groups. Both theconsistent stay factor data and thesubtle group differences can guideorganizational efforts to engage andretain talent.

A Note about the Data

Our online "What Keeps You" Survey,from 2009 to present, has yielded1,617 responses to date. The originalsurvey represents the responses of15,670 respondents from 1998-2008.The online survey remains active andcontinues to gather data. The following

represents current findings from thepresent "What Keeps You" Survey andreferences past findings forcomparison.

If you have not already responded,please go tohttp://whatkeepsyou.csiprogram.com/to complete the survey.

Demographics for the respondentsinclude:

Age — Fifty-seven (57%) of the!respondents are between the agesof 31 and 50, contrasted with 64%in the initial survey.

Company size — Twenty-nine!percent (29%) of the respondentsare from companies employing10,000 or more employees; 17%work for companies employing2,500 to 10,000; and 55% of therespondents work in companiesemploying less than 2,500 people.Company size varied little betweenthe two surveys with a 15%increase in respondents fromsmaller companies.KEY

FINDINGS! 2012 Career Systems International & Jordan Evans Group, Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans

During the first “talent war” from 1998 to 2001, leaders launched major initiatives to keep good people from bolting inresponse to multiple job offers. Today, competent, strategic-thinking leaders struggle to engage and retain talent that isdemoralized, overworked and pessimistic about their companies’ futures. These leaders know that how they develop,care about and listen to employees today will determine how many not only stick around, but also stay fully engaged,regardless of the economy’s strength and the condition of the labor market.

And a final note to you believers: Even if you are a talent-focused manager and/or work for an organization that has areputation as being "retention-oriented," you simply cannot afford to rest on your laurels. Fair or unfair, all organizationstoday are vulnerable. Even the best of the best lose employees who become anxious from hearing news everyday aboutthe socio-economic environment and its effect on their industry or company. How many managers realize they need tostop thinking that engagement and retention strategies are something they do in addition to their jobs? How many nowthink about such behaviors as an ongoing and integral part of their leadership role and a way of getting work done,ensuring quality, retaining customers and maintaining shareholder value? In many cases we’re talking about a dramaticculture change.

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Function — In the original survey,!31% of the responses reflected theopinions of workers inEngineering/Manufacturing jobs.The functions most represented inthe recent survey are HumanResources at 28%; Training at11%; and Operations/GeneralManagement at 9%.

Gender — Sixty-nine (69%) of the!research population are female and31% are male. The data reflects anincrease of female participation of18% over the last survey.

Geography — The original survey!included respondents primarily inthe United States. In the currentsurvey, 13% of the respondentsare international. In the U.S., 11%of the respondents work inlocations in the Northeast, and18% in the Midwest. TheSouthwestern, Northwestern,Western, and Southeastern regionsof the U.S. are represented aboutequally at 9-13%.

Industry — The industries most!represented in both the current andprevious studies areMedical/Healthcare (13%) andBanking/Financial Services (9%).

Level — Forty-two (42%) of the!responses reflect the opinions ofmiddle managers (i.e. Manager andSupervisor).Thirty-one (31%) areindividual contributors and 28%are Directors and above. Thecurrent survey represents theopinions of individual contributorsand senior level managers morethan in the original research.

Why They Say They StayAfter years of research and more than17,000 responses, certain factorsclearly and consistently surfaced asthe top drivers of engaging andretaining talent. These stay factorshave changed very little over time andacross demographic groupings. In ouroriginal research, respondentsrevealed the top five reasons theystayed in an organization for “a while”as:

Exciting work/challenge (49.9%)!

Career growth, learning and!development (45.3%)

Working with great people and!relationships (44.6%)

Fair pay (31.7%)!

Supportive management/good!boss (22.6%)

Three of the top five stay factorsremain important to respondentstoday. However, new data reveals lessemphasis on pay and additionalemphasis on recognition of individualcontributions. The increasedimportance of supportive managementand of being recognized, valued andrespected in the workplace is anindication of what employees want, butwhat also might be missing in this timeof economic uncertainty and change.

Exciting, challenging or meaningful!work (58%)

Supportive management/good!boss (40%)

! 2012 Career Systems International & Jordan Evans Group, Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans 5

A G ECOMPANY SIZEF U N C T I O NG E N D E RG E O G R A P H YI N D U S T R YL E V E L

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Different StrokesWhile the top five stay factors deserveyour full attention and will improve theengagement and retention levels of allyour talent, the following findingsprovide insight into what the variousdemographic groups want from theirjobs and therefore how you can betterengage and retain each group. Forexample, both men and women wantflexibility in the workplace. What areyou and your organization doing topromote flexible work arrangements?While you note demographicdifferences, remember to takeindividual differences into account aswell. Find out what each of yourtalented employees wants.

Stay Factors by Age

In general, the ranking of most stayfactors are somewhat consistent

across age groups. However, the newdata does reveal some interestingpatterns and is consistent with theoriginal findings:

Being engaged by Exciting Work andChallenge and Meaningful Work isincreasingly cited with age. In fact,respondents over 60 years oldtrumped all other age groups, with57.5% citing this stay factor as themost important.

Frequency of responses for CareerGrowth, Learning and Developmentsteadily decrease after age of 40.

Frequency of responses forSupportive Management/Great Bossas a reason for staying tend tosteadily fall with increase in age.

Doing work they perceive to be Funis most cited by workers 30 andunder.

Pride in Organization, Profession andIndustry as a reason for staying isincreasingly cited with age.

Job Security/Stability and Locationare increasingly cited with age.

Stay Factors by Gender

The most striking differences betweenthe genders are:

Fair Pay is cited more frequently bymen than women as one of the topretention factors.

Women polled cited ManagementStyle/Great Boss more frequentlythan their male counterparts.

Exciting Work/Challenge is high onboth male and female lists, butwomen list it 10% more frequentlythan men. The opposite was true inthe original survey, when men citedthis stay factor more frequently.

! 2012 Career Systems International & Jordan Evans Group, Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans 6

Being recognized/valued/respected (40%)!

Career growth, learning and development (35%)!

Flexible work environment (25%)!

Fair pay moved down to number six (20%) and working with greatpeople moved to number nine (15%).

It is clear from the data that pay is not what compels people tostay and stay engaged in organizations. Talent today continue towant opportunities to be challenged with meaningful work; wantopportunities to grow and develop; and want to feel valued bytheir boss and their organization for their contribution in a flexiblework environment. It makes business sense for organizations (andyou) to devote resources to the five stay factors that matter somuch to so many people. It also makes sense, though, to takedemographic differences into account as you manage differentages, genders, levels, and functions.

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In our original survey, women citedFlexibility twice as often as men as areason for staying; conversely, mencited Job Security/Stability twice asoften as women as a reason forstaying. Our newest data reveals nosignificant difference between menand women.

Stay Factors by Industry

AerospaceExciting/Challenging/MeaningfulWork, Fair Pay, Career Growth/Learning & Development, andSupportive Management/Good Bossare top of mind for aerospaceworkers, which is consistent withearlier findings. However, earlierfindings also indicated that BeingRecognized and Working with GreatPeople/Relationships was alsoimportant.

BankingExciting/Challenging/MeaningfulWork outranked all other stay factorsby a minimum three to one margin. Itis quite a contrast from earlierfindings, where workers in Bankingseem most concerned with CareerGrowth, followed almost equally byExciting Work/ Challenge andWorking with Great People.

ConsultingExciting/Challenging/MeaningfulWork outranked all other stay factors(58.24%), with SupportiveManagement/Good Boss coming insecond. In previous research,workers in this industry also citedCareer Growth and Autonomy/Creativity as top stay factors.

EducationExciting/Challenging/MeaningfulWork outranked all other stay factors(47.47%), with SupportiveManagement/Good Boss coming insecond – a stay factor that did notmake the radar for this group in theearly study.

ElectronicsThe top two stay factors areExciting/Challenging/MeaningfulWork and Being Recognized/Valued/Respected. In the initialstudy, workers in the ElectronicsIndustry appeared equally focusedon Exciting Work/Challenge, CareerGrowth, and Working with GreatPeople as key reasons for stayingwith their current employers.Management Style, Great WorkingEnvironment/Culture and Pride inOrganization/Profession/Industry alsostood out for these workers asreasons they stay.

GovernmentExciting/Challenging/MeaningfulWork outrank all other stay factors(36.89%), with SupportiveManagement/Good Boss coming insecond. Working with Great Peopleand Career Growth is not ranked asimportant by this group although itwas top of mind in earlier research.

HealthcareFor workers in the Healthcareindustry, the top three stay factorsare Exciting/Challenging/ MeaningfulWork, Supportive Management/GoodBoss and Career Growth/Learning &Development. The stay factors areconsistent with earlier findings, withthe exception being a greater desiretoday for a supportive manager overWorking with GreatPeople/Relationships.

HospitalityThe top two stay factors areExciting/Challenging/MeaningfulWork and Being Recognized/Valued/Respected. ExcitingWork/Challenge was cited in

! 2012 Career Systems International & Jordan Evans Group, Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans 7

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previous research, but BeingRecognized increased in importanceover Career Growth, and WorkingWith Great People.

InsuranceThe top two stay factors areExciting/Challenging/MeaningfulWork and Being Recognized/Valued/Respected. Previously,workers in the Insurance industryseemed most concerned with CareerGrowth and Exciting Work/Challenge,followed by Working with GreatPeople/ Relationships.

ManufacturingThe top three stay factors areExciting/Challenging/MeaningfulWork, Being Recognized/Valued/Respected and SupportiveManagement/Good Boss. ExcitingWork/Challenge was cited previously,as was Career Growth.

Non-ProfitThis demographic group is newlyadded to our research. Forty-twopercent of respondents citedExciting/Challenging/MeaningfulWork among their top three stayfactors. Cited next (at 9-10%) areCareer Growth/Learning &Development, Being Recognized/Valued/Respected and Pride InOrganization/Its Mission or Product.

Office ProductsSupportive Management/Good Bossis cited most frequently, representinga shift from earlier findings, whereWorking with GreatPeople/Relationships and CareerGrowth, followed by ExcitingWork/Challenge and Fair Pay werethe top reasons for staying.

PharmaceuticalsExciting/Challenging/MeaningfulWork outranks all other stay factorsby a minimum margin of two to one.Job Security/Stability and CareerGrowth/Learning & Development tiefor second. In previous research,workers in the Pharmaceuticalsindustry cited Career Growth most,followed almost equally by havingExciting Work/Challenge, Workingwith Great People/Relationships, FairPay, Doing Meaningful Work, Pride inIndustry/Organization/Profession andManagement Style/Support.

RetailThe top three stay factors areExciting/Challenging/MeaningfulWork, Career Growth/Learning &Development, and SupportiveManagement/Good Boss, which isfairly consistent with earlier findings.

TelecomExciting/Challenging/MeaningfulWork and Job Security/Stability arethe top two stay factors for thisindustry. Career Growth was notcited as often by this group, althoughit was cited almost equally withExciting Work and Working WithGreat People in the previousfindings.

TransportationExciting/Challenging/MeaningfulWork, Fair Pay and SupportiveManagement/Good Boss is top ofmind for workers in theTransportation industry. Previously,workers were also most concernedwith Career Growth, Working withGreat People/Relationships andhaving a Great Working Environment.

TravelWorkers in the Travel industry are thefirst group to cite Job Location asone of the top three stay factors. Inaddition, BeingRecognized/Valued/Respected andExciting/Challenging/MeaningfulWork are also important. Previously,wanting Diverse/ Changing Work alsodistinguished these workers fromthose in other industries.

Stay Factors by Job Function

AdministrationWorkers in Administration (i.e., seniormanagers, and those who work inthe top echelon of organizations)previously cited Pride inOrganization/Profession/ Industryand Meaningful Work morefrequently than all workers in theother job functions. In new research,the resounding winner isExciting/Challenging/MeaningfulWork.

Consulting/O.D. We added this demographic group toour new research. Fifty-sevenpercent cited Exciting/Challenging/Meaningful Work among their topthree stay factors. SupportiveManagement/Good Boss and CareerGrowth/Learning & Developmentcame in a distant second and third.

Customer Service Fair Pay and Flexibility still rank in thetop five stay factors, butExciting/Challenging/MeaningfulWork ranks #1.

FinanceIn early research, workers in Finance

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cited Benefits more frequently thanother workers. Today, the top stayfactor isExciting/Challenging/MeaningfulWork (31%) and Benefits dropped to#12 (2%).

Human Resources (HR) Exciting/Challenging/MeaningfulWork (40.64%), SupportiveManagement/Good Boss and BeingRecognized/Valued/ Respected areimportant for these workers.That isfairly consistent with earlier findings.

Information Technology (IT) The most frequently cited stay factoris Exciting/Challenging/ MeaningfulWork (21.82%). Ranked next andnearly tied (9-11%) are: CareerGrowth/Learning & Development,Flexible Work Environment, BeingRecognized/ Valued/Respected andJob Security/Stability.

Sales & Marketing Workers in Sales & Marketingpreviously cited Fun on the Job,Working with Great People, and FairPay more frequently than most oftheir colleagues in other professions.New research demonstrates analignment with overall findings,where their top three stay factors areExciting/Challenging/MeaningfulWork, Supportive Management/Good Boss and Being Recognized/Valued/Respected.

TrainingWe added this demographic group toour new research. The top three stayfactors are Exciting/Challenging/Meaningful Work(45.61%), Being Recognized/Valued/Respected, and Supportive

Management/Good Boss.

Stay Factors by Geography

No significant differences were foundamong regions of the U.S. orinternational respondents. Whatmatters most to people seems to notcorrelate to where they live andwork.

Stay Factors by Level

Executives and IndividualContributors cite Fair Pay more oftenthan any other level, differing slightlyfrom the original survey, whereManagers and Supervisors (i.e.,middle managers) cited Fair Paymore often than other groups.

Workers at each successiveorganizational level cited Flexibilitywith less frequency; about a third ofthe Individual contributors polledcited it more often than their bosses.

Individual contributors citedManagement Style, Benefits andGreat Working Environment/ Culture,Autonomy/Creativity, and Flexibilitymore frequently than their bosses(i.e., more than Directors, Managersor Supervisors).

In previous research, Managers,Supervisors, Directors, andExecutives all cited Exciting Work &Challenge among the top threereasons for staying. In recentresearch, every level cited this stayfactor as #1 by a significant margin.

ConclusionYou’ve read every word of this paper.Or, you came straight to this page insearch of the “so what.” What’s thebottom line? Here are the takeawaysas we see them:

Stay factors really don’t changemuch. Researchers began the studyof job satisfaction and employeemotivation decades ago. Today wecall it employee engagement andretention, but the search is largely thesame. We want to know what willkeep our talent on the team andproducing at their peak (stay factors).There is agreement and consistencyacross numerous demographic groupsand over time, independent ofeconomic fluctuations. People stillwant:

Exciting, challenging, meaningful!work

Career growth, learning and!development

Supportive management/good!boss

Fair pay!

Working with great people!

Newer research reveals that they stillwant the above but also want a lotmore of:

Flexible work environments!

Being recognized/valued/!respected

Generalizations are useful, but notenough. Acknowledging the research(and this list of stay factors) gives us ahead start in the race to recruit,

! 2012 Career Systems International & Jordan Evans Group, Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans 9

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engage and retain talent. Beyond thislist, though, savvy leaders at all levelsneed to conduct “stay interviews.”They need to know what each of theirtalented employees wants and needs.For one it might be a promotion, whileanother does his best in a fun,enjoyable work environment.

Note when you’re surprised byresearch. The finding that your mostsenior workers care as much (or more)as your GenYs about exciting,challenging, meaningful work could beshocking news. It might also informsome innovative approaches toengaging and hanging on to yourBoomers a little while longer. Note,too, that this stay factor was cited #1by respondents from everyorganizational level, from individualcontributor to executive. Think aboutthe implications of this finding. Howmight you help your talent find even alittle bit more meaning and challenge intheir work?

The buck stops with managers.Having a good boss lands squarely inthe top five stay factors time after time.And bosses have tremendous powerand influence when it comes todelivering on every single stay factorwe’ve identified in our research.

It’s important to track trends andshifts. For example, we’ve seen“flexible work environment” move upthe stay factor list in recent years. Is itbecause younger generations expect(even demand) that in a job? Is itbecause so many workplaces haveadopted the “work-more” philosophythat asks employees to sacrifice morefor their employers? Is it because wehad more individual contributors and

senior leaders responding to thesecond survey than to the first? Wedon’t know the reason why, but itmakes sense to take note, look at yourown employees and organizationalculture and perhaps then, to takeaction!

Close the gaps. Survey youremployees to find out what mattersmost to them and then ask to whatdegree each stay factor is being met inthe current position. Our new surveydoes just that and found there is roomfor improvement. The most importantstay factors (top four) were not beingmet to a great degree (average of 3 outof 5 stars). Ask your talented peoplewhat would move their score from a 3to a 5 on a given stay factor and thenlink arms with them to close that gap.

CONCLUSION! 2012 Career Systems International & Jordan Evans Group, Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans 10

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