Older workers causing ‘ambition ceiling’ dilemma for UK employers
A recent study has found that more than a quarter of UK employees feel “stuck” in their present position, in news that suggests an increasing risk of talent flight and reduced worker productivity for companies that make use of the HR services of HR consultants, Employee Management Ltd (http://www.employeemanagement.co.uk).
More than three in four of the study’s respondents stated that the ability to advance their career was either the same or worse than it had been twelve months earlier. Employees in senior positions choosing not to retire were identified as a factor in this lack of opportunity for promotion by some 26% of respondents.
Other findings included 40% of respondents saying they would not be able to progress to a higher level role unless they left their organisation, with just a third of respondents expressing a belief that their organisation did a good job of promoting the most qualified workers.
On a similar note, only 33% of workers felt their organisation was good at providing opportunities for career development, with two thirds stating that performance and pay were not clearly linked – the latter a sign that employees lack the incentive to challenge themselves in their jobs.
A mere 55% of those polled agreed that they had the required tools and resources to achieve exceptional performance.
The research suggests that UK workers could be settling for stability over ambition and/or lacking the tools, inclination or support they need to progress. It would appear that there is a possible need for employers to rethink their approach to career development in order to facilitate the removal of this apparent barrier to progression and seek to address gaps that may have opened up between regular employees and senior management during a time when there is great nervousness about job security and the economic climate in general.
At Employee Management Ltd (http://www.employeemanagement.co.uk), our human resource consultants have experience of conducting organisational reviews and training needs analyses, and like our other HR / employment law services, they are always tailored to your precise needs.
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