ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – Talent attraction and retention are top of mind for executives across Asia, with seven in 10 executives saying they face a labor shortage crisis.
The talent challenge shows no signs of abating. Despite 85% of employees in Asia feeling satisfied in their current role, nearly two in five still plan to leave in the next six to 12 months, reflecting that organizations have yet to keep up with evolving employee expectations of work and the workplace.
Drawing on insights from nearly 11,000 C-suite executives, HR leaders and employees globally, Mercer’s 2022 Global Talent Trends Study, “The Rise of the Relatable Organization” highlights how winning organizations prioritize reskilling and well-being while partnering with employees to co-create the new shape of work.
Work in Partnership: Companies in Indonesia adopting wait-and-see approach to flexible work
One in two employees across Asia say the future of work is about balance – fitting work around life and no longer life around work. Compared to 2020, employees today say they are more likely to stay with their employer due to “life” related factors, such as flexibility and time off, compared to “work” related factors, such as career progression and development.
One in three employees in Asia are willing to forgo pay increases to be able to work flexibly, closely followed by well-being benefits. Nearly seven in 10 employees say not being able to work remotely or hybrid permanently is a deal breaker when considering whether to join or stay with an organization.
However, executives in Asia are concerned about the impact of permanent hybrid and remote working, especially the ability to build and maintain colleague relationships (89%). Seven in 10 also believe fundamentally that work gets done in an office, not remotely. With 48% organizations in Asia saying they are struggling with scaling up and sustaining hybrid work, there is significant work to be done in evolving their flexible work culture.
Isdar Marwan, Mercer’s Director of Career Services in Indonesia, said, “There is impetus for employers to offer flexibility and those who already have clear policies are typically multi-nationals with hybrid work playbooks from their headquarters or regional offices. With employees reluctant to go back to the office, many companies in Indonesia are deliberating flexibility in terms of ‘where’ it can be implemented and are adopting a wait-and-see approach, looking to each other for benchmarks on how to measure performance and its impact on compensation. Employees already expect some degree of flexibility now, so employers need to act fast, to retain their people and grow their businesses.”
Build for Employability: Lack of awareness on skills acquisition in Indonesia
The pandemic supercharged companies’ race to reskill, with organizations globally investing more than US$2,800 per learner in reskilling last year, up from US$1,400 in 2020. However, it is unclear if the investment is paying off. Nearly all (95%) employees in Asia reported recently learning a new skill, yet a staggering 97% of companies report significant skill gaps in their organization.
While providing opportunities to reskill and upskill is top of the people agenda of organizations in Asia in 2022, barriers remain. Lack of time aside (36%), one in four employees said they are not sure which skills to focus on as well as where to go to learn a new skill for work. HR leaders, too, have their reservations.
They find it difficult to keep up with the pace of change and emerging skill needs (37%), identify employees with the most potential to effectively leverage new skills (36%) and are concerned that upskilled talent will leave the firm (35%).
Addressing skill gaps is more pressing than ever for organizations to realize their strategy, meet evolving business needs and ensure the employability of their talent well into the future. The good news is HR leaders in Asia are looking to build skills internally rather than acquiring talent, a significant shift from pre-pandemic. They are also seeing the greatest impact from targeted learning investments (42%) and experiential learning through internal rotations (42%).
Commenting on the findings, Mr Marwan added, “From our observation, companies in Indonesia are generally unsure about how to translate their long-term strategies to identify future skills that they need. To drive business growth in the long run, executives have to think about competency development and skill acquisition more strategically, and they need to start now.”
Deliver on Total Well-Being: Employees still hopeful for executives to lead with empathy
The percentage of energized employees has dropped significantly from 74% in 2019 to 63% this year – the lowest level in the study’s seven-year history. Eight in 10 employees in Asia also feel at risk of burnout. With nearly all (98%) organizations planning significant transformation this year, the collective fatigue could put these plans at risk. Yet only one in four executives and HR leaders in Asia view employee exhaustion as a threat to transformation or driver for attrition.
Mr Marwan said, “Insights from our employee engagement survey showed that employees in Indonesia feel that the amount of work that is expected of them is unreasonable and that they are not rewarded accordingly. However, even with their energy reserves drying up, they are simply looking for their leaders to show more empathy and help them remove obstacles at work. If employees are heard, and their needs are considered thoughtfully, it may make them trust and respect their leaders more and it could be reason enough for them to stay in the organization.”
Understanding the Talent Drivers
A fundamental change in people’s values is underpinning a structural shift in the labor market. With a record number of employees switching jobs last year, understanding talent drivers is critical. After job security, organizational brand and reputation is the #2 reason for employees who joined their current employer, up from #9 before the pandemic. Staying relevant requires organizations to listen intently to their stakeholders and walk the talk on their core values through company purpose and work standards.
Renée McGowan, President – Asia, Middle East & Africa, Mercer, said, “Recovery in the region remains fragile amid challenges of rising inflation, geopolitical conflicts, climate change and digitalization. A top worry for executives in Asia is business resilience, which is closely intertwined with the resilience of their workforce. A thriving workforce creates a thriving business. Now more than ever, organizations need to consider the role of all their employees in shaping solutions and addressing challenges from hybrid work and well-being to reskilling and sustainability – so they’ll feel more relevant, connected and valued.” (AT Network)
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