EMPLOYERS BELIEVE the length of time an employee has worked with the company has little or no effect on job performance, a report has found
LENGTH OF SERVICE counts for nothing when it comes to rating job performance, say employers in a new report released by Alexander Mann Solutions. The majority of organisations believe that an employee’s ability to do their job effectively and efficiently is the most significant indicator of high-performance, with 44 per cent ranking productivity as the most important attribute of a high-performer.
“In the modern workplace, time served is no longer a factor in assessing an employee’s worth or performance,”says Jeremy Tipper, director for Alexander Mann.
“Instead, performing above and beyond employer expectations and proactively seeking new opportunities or more work is key to being recognised as a high performer and considered for promotion.”
After productivity, the next highest-ranking attributes that define a high-performer were initiative, engagement and cultural fit.
The report also found distinct differences in the skills and attributes job candidates need to be seen as potential high-performers at graduate- versus management- and executive-level positions.
“Organisations are divided when it comes to identifying high-potential graduates,” Tipper said.
Educational qualifications and academic results as well as a graduate’s personality and behaviour are important benchmarks in predicting graduate performance, with 28 per cent of companies ranking them as the most important attributes.
“When it comes to selecting a candidate for a management or executive position, their ability to lead others effectively and manage staff not only affects their performance, but also the ability of their staff to achieve high performance,” Tipper said.
Leadership skills were ranked as the most essential characteristic, followed by previous experience in management or executive roles.
When it comes to attracting high-performers, 38 per cent of organisations rate their organisational brand as the most important component of their strategy. Around 44 per cent ranked employer brand and employee value proposition (EVP) as the first or second most important factor in attracting high performers.
At the same time, it emerged that 22 per cent of companies do not see flexible working conditions and childcare facilities as key to their high-performer attraction strategy.
