Relatability is the key to attracting and retaining talent, according to Mercer’s 2020 Global Talent Trends Study. The study, which surveyed almost 11,000 C-suite execs, HR leaders, and employees, revealed the pressing need for alignment between companies and their employees on a host of issues related to the where, when, how, and why of work.
Here are the key findings that have implications for the staffing industry:
- Organizational brand and reputation. This is now the #2 reason people joined their current company, just after job security. Before the pandemic, organizational brand and reputation ranked #9.
- Turnover. Only 55% of employees say their company is meeting all of their needs, and 70% of HR pros expect higher-than-normal turnover this year (pointing to potentially more job switchers in the months to come).
- Remote work. 62% of employees only want to work remotely or hybrid, while 72% of executives are worried about the impact of remote working on company culture.
- Gig work. 60% of execs expect gig work will largely replace their full-time employees in the next three years, but less than 60% of full-time employees are open to gig work.
- Burnout. 81% of employees feel at risk of burnout this year, with the top reason being that they don’t feel sufficiently rewarded for their efforts.
- Reskilling. 98% of companies report skill gaps, while at the same time 91% of employees say they have recently learned a new skill. 90% of companies have or plan to implement an AI-powered internal talent marketplace to match employees’ new skills with the company’s opportunities.
