Employees Want Career Direction but Don't Get it, Survey Finds
Forty percent of professionals in finance and accounting say their managers never offer to talk about their career paths, even though 37% admit they would like to have this discussion at least quarterly and 45% saying at least annually. These are among the key findings of a recent Robert Half Finance & Accounting survey of 1,200 professionals.
“Supervisors who are not discussing career progression with their staff are missing an opportunity to engage and retain their team,” notes Paul McDonald, Senior Executive Director for Robert Half. “Employees who don't know when they’ll earn a promotion or raise, or understand how they fit into a company’s long-term strategy, aren’t likely to stick around long.”
The company offers three suggestions for managers:
- Ask employees about their objectives. Make no assumptions, as many people have different “non-linear” aspirations.
- Be up front about expectations. Be clear about what employees need in terms of experience or skills to reach their goals, and then create a specific plan – including leadership development, mentoring and training opportunities – to help them achieve success.
- Don't wait for the annual performance review. Check in with employees based on the timing of the plan developed in the career path discussion.
For more information, contact Lisa Amstutz at (650) 234-6246, or lisa.amstutz@roberthalf.com.
