Adecco has published a global study on the career aspirations of workers, which highlights the different visions that companies and employees have of what work should be like as an idea.l, as well as the differences between countries. However, there is also common ground between what matters most to companies and workers.
In this post we will analyse the results of this study, in which 1,300 workers and 150 companies from the United States, Australia, India, Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Switzerland and Latin American countries (LATAM) participated. From it, recruiters, companies and workers themselves can draw important conclusions when it comes to defining the characteristics of jobs and the relationship between organisations and the people who work in them.
First of all, let's talk about coincidences.. Workers and companies agree that the three most important factors for career aspirations are, in order of importance, salary (53%), work environment (36%), and professional development opportunities (25%). However, companies tend to overestimate the importance that salary has for workers among their overall career aspirations.
After these three key aspects, there are significant divergences in career aspirations:
employees value most about the well-being, health and safety at work, as well as job flexibility, especially in relation to the working hours and place of work.These differences are more pronounced in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
Companies and workers agree on similarly assess the company culture (ranked 8th for companies and 10th for employees)
The workers do not give equal importance to brand awareness that companies. For workers it is in 16th place in their job aspirations, while for companies it is 7th)
When it comes to leadership styles within companies, workers tend to favour “charismatic leaders” (those who are committed to their teams and have the ability to generate trust and motivation) or “servant leaders” who focus on the people's well-being of their teams, something that companies do not share, as they prefer the “success-obsessed” type of leader (demanding intensity at work without losing respect for the team).
Finally, companies overvalue collaborative work. 71% of companies promote it, but only 54% of workers value it. However, Spanish and LATAM workers value it highly (>80%)
All this data highlights one aspect that companies and recruiters should reflect upon: There are fundamental differences between what companies believe their employees value and what employees actually value in their career aspirations.. Companies tend to overvalue organisational or prestige issues, such as brand awareness, while Workers are more concerned about issues relating to their well-being at work.
When workers are asked which company they would like to work for., 22% appoints the GAFAM companies (Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple and Microsoft), with Amazon and Google being the favourites. The reasons they give when asked why can be summarised in one sentence: they work hard, but play harder.
An ideal company must also care for ethics, people, and diversity. These aspects are key to the career aspirations of one-third of workers. Furthermore, ethical and social responsibility issues are more important the higher the educational level of the surveyed worker. However, only 9% of companies rate social responsibility, specifically environmental, as the most important issue.
Collaborative work, although more valued by companies, is also important for employees, especially for Generation Z workers, of whom 57% state they are happier working collaboratively in open-plan spaces.
If we focus on Spain, most workers believe they are well-remunerated in relation to the position they hold. Only 38% are considered underpaid and only 5% are thinking of leaving their current job.
But Salary isn't the only important thing in Spain.. Workers value safety, health, well-being, and the work environment more than in other countries, relegating professional development opportunities to fifth place. What is essential for 40%% is flexibility in hours and location to carry out their work. In the employment aspirations of Spaniards, The new post-COVID normal must be more flexible. This is why companies should offer different social benefits oriented to your needs, whether it is a ticket restaurant, a childminder for those employees who have children or a transport ticket, among others.
Spanish employees also have among their professional aspirations working for companies that are responsible and transparent, have a mindset of diversity and inclusion, tackle inequalities, and are committed to reducing their climate impact.
Collaborative and open-plan working is winning hands down among workers' preferences in Spain, as more than 80% prefer this way of working.
The selection and onboarding process at companies is also important for employees. Most of them opt for a mixed system in which the online and face-to-face parts are combined. Among the aspects mentioned, carrying out an online questionnaire to verify if their competencies are suitable for the role they are applying for, gamified access tests (simulations, role-play, escape rooms, etc.), and contact via SMS/WhatsApp are also well-received.
Regarding the onboarding process, the majority prefer to have a personalised adaptation plan designed for them Given sufficient time to learn about the different parts of the company. Furthermore, aspects such as being assigned a buddy to help them get to know working life better and having a digital training platform that guarantees their skills are up-to-date are viewed positively. Traditional roles such as the existence of an HR figure or supervision by a manager during the onboarding process are much lower down the scale of preferences.
Knowing the aspirations of workers is essential. for companies, as they must focus on implementing changes and improvements that align with these desires of their current and future employees. For a company to function, it must take into account the needs and values of its workers; only then will it be able to grow positively and achieve a good working atmosphere.
