Engagement is the recipe for ending the crisis and pushing the restart button. Motivating employees is the top priority of companies, as documented in the research of the Top Employers Institute. This includes an increase in mission courses and a focus on facilitated career planning, as well as increased attention in creating an optimum work environment, a “competitive element that can encourage not only personal growth, but also growth of the business”.
During the recent economic difficulties moments, and due to a still-problematic labor market, companies have changed their priorities in a meaningful way and have begun to focus on the engagement of employees, complemented by organizational and cultural change.
This is confirmed by a research study conducted in 2014 of the Top Employers Institute – a certification body of global excellence in the area of Human Resources –covering more than 850 companies in over 70 Countries around the world, including the 51 Top Employers Italia companies.
Engagement is the #1 priority for the Top Employers Italia companies in 2014, followed by other important values, such as cultural change, talent management, leadership development, and learning and development.
The ranking of the top 5 business priorities for the 51 Top Employers Italia 2014 companies is as follows:
1. Engagement
2. Cultural and organizational change
3. Talent management
4. Leadership development
5. Learning and development
Compared to the previous year, both engagement and cultural and organizational change "climbed" one position (they were in 2nd and 3rd, respectively, in 2013), which is a testament to the change in needs and business trends, as talent management slipped into 3rd place (was the #1 priority in 2013).
The importance of engagement is also confirmed by the appropriate benchmarks studies, which increased by more than 10% compared to the previous year: they were performed by 62% of companies in 2014 (compared to 51% in 2013). The Italian data is higher than the General European data, whose benchmark studies on engagement increased to 54% (compared to 48% in 2013).
Beside the increased importance of engagement, the attention to the proper dissemination of company values is also critical, evidenced by an increase in the mission and company values courses: 96% of companies conducted these in 2014, as compared to 89% in the previous year. A new perspective assumes a redefinition of company values and a new vision of career paths.
Once again, the research data of the Top Employers Institute confirms this, showing a significant increase of 9% in attention towards career paths, which had been primarily reserved for “higher levels” or middle managers until only a few years ago. A major increase in each level of staffhas been seen; carried out in 60% in 2014 (only 51% in 2013).
This is a priority change with a precise explanation: “The continuation of the crisis has had important consequences within business organizations, especially regarding new values and new ways of relating to people. Hence, the need for HR managers to address new needs and remodel designs and relationship patterns. This also demonstrates the importance of motivating employees with arguments and strategies that go beyond remuneration; creating important retention of top talent; managing the skills and experience of senior workers; paying attention to proper career planning; following the principle that an optimal work environment is a competitive element and can encourage not only personal growth, but also growth of the business. When combined, all of these factors represent the potential for development and growth at the enterprise level.
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