Across the U.S. during August, a record 4.3 million employees quit their jobs, the highest monthly figure since 2000. While upwards of 80 percent left for a new role, almost 800,000 people remained unemployed in September. These people quit without anything else lined up employment-wise.
Think about it for a moment. Amazingly, 800,000 people would rather have quit their jobs outright—with nothing to fall back on—than continue in their current role and organization. No wonder there were 10.4 million job vacancies in August.
The pandemic continues to teach us many things about our perceived norms of both employee desires and talent management.
While career development is crucial, we must come to grips with the fact that more employees are not seeking to climb the ladder. Yes, upward mobility, succession planning, and merit promotions will continue to be necessary, but it's perhaps no longer the prime employee satisfaction or engagement criteria. Maybe that's why—in part—employees are quitting in droves.
They don't want to move up; they want to grow across.
What is beginning to come to fruition is something I'm calling "horizontal ignition." Vertical ambition has given way to horizontal ignition. And if I'm a senior leader, I'm setting a new organization-wide leadership tone. It's time to project a new mindset.
Horizontal ignition centers around team members who desire experiential learning, new peer networks, and increased skill development. They accomplish this aspiration by working with others across the organization outside their usual roles. They may be interested in promotions and more senior positions at some point in time. That's fine.
However, horizontal ignition suggests that a large percentage of employees want to take on lateral learning and expertise exchange first. (Or maybe that's genuinely their only motive as an employee.)
It's a crucial mindset change for the organization's senior leaders to contemplate.
Organizations cannot continue tailoring or gear all their talent management strategy to preserve "bench strength." This myopia is the very reason many employees will leave. Moreover, if senior leaders fixate solely on career development paths—code for promotion paths—it will exacerbate the exodus of employees seeking development that does not necessitate job promotion.
Significant more Millennials and GenZ employees are not making their place of work central to their life. It's an important part but not the focal point.
What they seek from the employer is an investment in their whole self. Be it skills, networks, knowledge, or experience, employees are beginning to call the shots on what will make them stay.
It's precisely at this moment where senior leaders need to alter their thinking. It’s time for horizontal ignition.
Organizations and their senior leaders should concoct an enterprise-wide plan to offer team members aspects including but not limited to: differentiated assignments, cross-functional projects, short-term rotations, job-shadowing, as well as an internal free agency program.
It's no longer solely about moving up but growing across. Horizontal ignition is—quite literally—igniting the skill development of employees horizontally in the organization. Therefore, the approach should focus on critical opportunities for employees to network and learn from others.
Arguably it's been a long time coming. But, in a way, an employee's self-fulfillment has become the new job promotion for many.
If I'm in charge of the organization's culture, talent, and overall leadership development strategy, this is my 2022 goal.
Set a new course that doesn't forget or eliminate vertical ambition. Compliment your talent strategy with a new concept: horizontal ignition.
It may even save you thousands of dollars in hiring, recruitment and onboarding costs.
_______
Check out 4th book, “Lead. Care. Win. How to Become a Leader Who Matters.” Amy. C. Edmondson of Harvard Business School calls it “an invaluable roadmap.” There’s also a self-paced online leadership development masterclass available. Nearly 100 videos across nine practical leadership lessons.
Connect with me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Visit my website or some of my other books here.
"now" - Google News
October 19, 2021 at 05:37AM
https://ift.tt/3AUHRJe
Horizontal Ignition Is Needed Now More Than Ever - Forbes
"now" - Google News
https://ift.tt/35sfxPY
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Horizontal Ignition Is Needed Now More Than Ever - Forbes"
Post a Comment