Having a bad leader at the helm is devastating for staff morale, according to new research
Two-in-three Australians identify poor leadership as the main motivation to search for a new job, according to LinkedIn Australia’s 2017 Inside the Mind of Today’s Candidate Report.
The other main reasons why employees depart organisations include better salary packages (53%), not feeling challenged at work (50%) and the desire to work for a company that better aligns to the candidate’s personal values (31%).
Even though poor leadership is prompting Australian workers to look for new employment opportunities, having a good boss is not the key motivator for Australians to stay in their job - with only 10% suggesting a boss was a reason to stay at a company.
Moreover, when it comes to talent retention, training opportunities to improve skills is the top reason to remain in a current role (60%), alongside confidence in the company’s future (48%).
Jason Laufer, director of talent and learning solutions APAC, LinkedIn, added that company culture remains critical to talent retention, with a good work life balance (37%) as well as flexible work hours (29%) highlighted as critical drivers for Australians that plan to stay at their current employer.
“What is really great to see from the research is that most Australians are currently employed full-time (90%), which is a massive 14-point jump compared to last year’s findings,” said Laufer.
“Australians want workplaces that challenge and inspire them and offer opportunities to improve and develop their skills.
“We value workplace cultures that match our own values and importantly, offer work-life balance.”
With a massive 89% of Australians interested in hearing about new job opportunities, and a further 25% planning to jump-ship within less than a year of being in their current role, candidates are looking for more than just a great salary package.
Further, poor work life balance is targeted as a key driver for changing jobs (46%) and another third of Australians are looking for promotion opportunities (36%).
Aussies are still salary-oriented, with 74% agreeing that when a recruiter reaches out with a new opportunity, the “must-have” information they want is the estimated salary range.
“When Australians are on the lookout for new job opportunities, the salary is just one factor,” said Laufer.
“It’s important for both candidates and recruiters alike to view the job offer as a whole, and consider the cultural drivers that can collectively have a bigger impact than a salary package.”
HRD also recently reported that a significant number of Australia’s leaders are not meeting the needs of their employees, resulting in a perceived leadership crisis in corporate Australia, according to a new report surveying over 1300 leaders.
The report, commissioned by Six Degrees Executive, found major gaps between how business leaders are currently operating and the values their employees are increasingly seeking.
It also found 92% of respondents do not feel that there is a strong pipeline of leaders in the Australian workplace, and four in ten believed their organisation is poorly placed to develop leaders, indicating leadership expectations will continue to stay low without significant change.