A look at current trends and data

Citation

Nolan, S. (2009), "A look at current trends and data", Strategic HR Review, Vol. 8 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/shr.2009.37208dab.009

A look at current trends and data

Article Type: Research and results From: Strategic HR Review, Volume 8, Issue 4

Story 1

Female professionals feel insufficiently challenged

Almost half of female business professionals around the world – and a similar number of their male counterparts – believe they are insufficiently challenged, despite being confident of their skills and capabilities. This is according to findings from an Accenture survey of 3,600 professionals from medium to large organizations in 18 countries across Europe, Asia, North America, South America and Africa. The survey findings were launched to coincide with International Women’s Day 2009.

Forty-six percent of women and 49 percent of men said they are not being challenged significantly in their current roles, yet more than three-quarters (76 percent) of all respondents are confident of their skills and capabilities. These skills include the ability to manage their workload and deadlines (70 percent), to delegate tasks (68 percent) and to negotiate (65 percent).

Almost six in ten women (59 percent) believe that their careers are successful or very successful and nearly half (46 percent) of women who consider themselves very successful reported that they are in jobs that require them to stretch beyond their expected responsibilities. Yet, these women are challenging themselves further: more than eight in ten women (81 percent) who consider themselves very successful said they take on additional responsibilities and complexity to advance their careers, and three-quarters (75 percent) reported that they regularly stretch themselves beyond their comfort zone. They are also learning new skills that can help them move to the next level (78 percent), are willing to consider a new position or role (76 percent), are willing to travel globally to conduct business or build relationships (68 percent) and regularly ask for new challenges (65 percent).

Success enablers

Technology may be one enabler of success. Respondents who described themselves as very successful are significantly more likely than their counterparts to rely on technology. More than three-quarters (79 percent) of respondents who identified themselves as very successful said they rely on technology, compared with just 56 percent of respondents who did not identify themselves as very successful.

For women, one highly touted but largely untapped resource is mentoring programs. When asked to whom they turn for career advice, just 14 percent of women cited a formal mentor at work, compared with more than 50 percent of women who cited either family, friends and current or former colleagues. Yet women acknowledge the value of a mentor: they report that their mentors help them think differently about certain situations (43 percent), help with their current roles (41 percent) and help them see more opportunities and possibilities (37 percent). They also acknowledged other benefits of mentors, including help with identifying their skills and capabilities, increasing their confidence and encouraging them to stretch themselves.

For more information

A full report on the research, Untapped Potential: Stretching toward the Future, is available at www.accenture.com

Story 2

European enterprises need to rethink collaboration methods

Despite the pervasive collaboration trend, current tools are not meeting knowledge workers’ need to work efficiently, confidently and securely together in their efforts to produce high-impact deliverables. This is a key finding of a study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Adobe to gain insight into the nature, methods and perceived limitations of collaborative work among European knowledge workers.

As part of the study, Forrester conducted 3,000 online interviews with respondents in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK. Findings show that 99 percent of respondents work collaboratively with others, and 81 percent work with two or more people in different time zones and geographical regions. However, knowledge workers are also acutely aware of the limitations of their collaboration methods. For example, 65 percent of respondents demand faster collection of information, 49 percent aim to reduce paper for information collection, and 44 percent request more engaging ways to collaborate.

Tim Walters, senior analyst at Forrester, comments: “The survey data shows a marked propensity among knowledge workers to stick with what they know for team collaboration – email and attachments – despite the recognition of needed improvements and potentially better alternatives. The challenge for the enterprise therefore is not just to provide improved collaboration solutions but also to support workers’ current work habits while transitioning them to new and constantly evolving ways of working.”

The report suggests IT departments consider a “Design for People” approach to support the way European knowledge workers want to work by building upon their current e-mail-based workflow. The goal is to bridge the gap between structured business processes and everyday disparate collaboration habits.

For more information

The full report from Forrester is available to download from the Adobe web site at www.adobe.com/uk/products/acrobat/forrester.html

Story 3

Best practice in managing talent in a downturn

Taleo Corporation, provider of on-demand talent management solutions, and the Human Capital Institute have carried out a global workforce management survey of 345 corporate executives and talent management leaders to establish best practice in managing talent in a downturn. The research was based on the premise that the current recession is different than any experienced by those in today’s leadership and HR management positions. Therefore, recognizing that workforce expenses usually account for as much as 70 percent of a business’ overall cost, the research sought to distill the best and worst practices in staffing management for making better cost-cutting and productivity-impacting decisions, regardless of geography. Following is a synopsis of the findings.

Best practices in downsizing

1. 1.

   Identify the work that is core to retaining business (not just the work that is being done well). Fifty-six percent of companies look at core and critical positions first to prioritize where headcount can be cut, if necessary.

2. 2.

   Identify competencies needed to meet business goals. Use scenario-based workforce planning and performance management to make better decisions.

3. 3.

   Protect your bottom line and your brand. When making downsizing decisions, consider that poor execution and planning has long-term brand effects and instant internet scrutiny.

4. 4.

   Communicate constantly. Let staff know what you know, when you know it and provide them the dignity they deserve.

5. 5.

   Pay attention to survivors. Let them know why they were kept, or bear the consequences ranging from low engagement and productivity to leaving of their own volition. Voluntary turnover of key performers has gone from 10 percent to 25 percent in the past 12 months, according to Herman Trends.

Worst practices in downsizing

1. 1.

   Do not cut with a hatchet, use a scalpel. Or, you may be understaffed for the recovery.

2. 2.

   Do not commit “death by a thousand cuts”. Plan for it well and do it all at once.

3. 3.

   Do not plan a layoff on a Friday or right before a holiday. This is primarily for the survivors, as they need reaffirmation and connection.

4. 4.

   Do not shoot from the hip. Have solid justifications, and consider legal ramifications in your plans.

5. 5.

   Do not keep employees guessing. Be forthright, honest and as detailed as possible.

For more information

Visit www.taleo.com/research/research.php

Story 4

Retaining management talent a top issue for 2009

A director level survey by the Strategic HR Network, a strategy forum for HR directors, shows that retaining management talent is a top issue in the UK for 2009. The survey was carried out in early 2009 among over 100 HR directors from UK-based medium and large employers.

The survey revealed the following:

• •

  Retaining senior management talent is “the most important” issue facing HR directors in 2009.

• •

  More than 60 percent of HR directors are expecting to make between 5 and 10 percent of their UK workforce redundant.

• •

  More than 80 percent of HR directors believe HR is viewed as a resource that “adds strategic value”.

• •

  Over 70 percent of HR directors state that their budget will be reduced in 2009, with the majority expecting the decrease to be between 5 and 10 percent. Only one in four HR directors confirm that the HR budget “will not be reduced” in 2009.

• •

  Over 30 percent of HR directors state that HR is now “heavily involved in setting the business strategy”.

• •

  One in ten HR directors believe HR is still seen as “an overhead” within their organization.

• •

  Over 60 percent of HR directors believe that “demonstrating the ROI HR brings” will be “very important” in 2009.

For more information

Visit www.strategic-hr-network.co.uk

Sara Nolan