What workers want

Here at SmartCompany we’ve recently started warning entrepreneurs about the dangers of a new skills crisis as the economy picks up. Yesterday’s survey from the Australian Industry Group suggested many sectors are already battling skills shortages, particularly in areas such as skilled trades and engineers.

That’s not great news, now a new survey of 2,500 workers by HR solutions provider Onetest should provide employers with some clues as to what strategies you can put in place to retain your best people.

The survey found that job security remains the biggest concerns for employees who are casting about for a new job and only 6% of workers said money was the crucial factor affecting them in 2009.

Indeed, the GFC has left many workers spooked. About 55% said they felt their power in the workplace had been reduced, 77% indicated that they would be willing to accept a position that was not their ideal role and, most happily for frugal bosses, 40% were also willing to take a pay cut.

So your employees aren’t quite confident enough to throw their weight around just yet, but don’t fool yourself – the better the economy starts to look, the more demands your staff will start to make. As we’ve seen during the downturn, sentiment can change very quickly in this environment.

Instead, start to think about what strategies you can put in place now to retain your best people. The survey says the greatest reason for employees to leave is greater career expectations – this is now even more important than getting more money. Lack of interest or a challenge, a lack of support and bad supervisors or managers are the other big reasons to leave.

What does this tell you? At the moment, what staff want most of all is to be, and feel, useful. They want to be able to see where their career might progress in your organsiation, and they want your support to get there.

Entrepreneurs should think hard about how this subtle change in mindset could impact their business. Now that you’re starting to think about growth again, are their rising stars in your organsiation who are ready to step up and lead a new project? Is it time to implement or improve a mentoring program? Do you need to change your staffing structure to make career paths more clear?

It’s the perfect time to start considering these issues well before the war for talent really heats up again.