Some pretty startling numbers have been coming out about employee satisfaction. Rob Jannone writes in his blog post The Mass Exodus of Talent that:
Halfway through the 1st month of 2010 and a theme emerging in the blogosphere and social media as it relates to Human Capital Management, is that the mass exodus of talent is imminent. Various studies cite from 50 to 85% of employed workers are unhappy in their current positions and/or their employers. Their reasons vary from the tried and true “overworked/underpaid” to lack of recognition and positive reinforcement.
Setting aside my disagreement with the rhetoric of “Human Capital,” these are some pretty stark numbers. Jannone points out that some of this may be pent up frustration from the downturn, where either respondents were in danger of being let go, or otherwise unable to move because of the overall economic situation. Even if true, he’s right that the emphasis on the company end needs to be on retention. To that I’d add that it would behoove managers to try and ascertain which relationships can be repaired and which can’t. Just as you have a pipeline forecast or product roadmap, you need to be aware of your employees disposition. Like poker, this is a game of incomplete information, but you can’t plan for headcount with a attrition number set by the Board or someone outside your group.
On the other hand, companies expanding should be in a great position to snap up some of this talent.
yuri kostun
