Around half of Brits prefer learning new skills over receiving a promotion or a pay rise within the next 12 months.
In a survey conducted by CV-Library, Brits ranked their main career priorities. The results stated that learning new skills came top (44 per cent). Which was followed closely by the desire to receive a pay rise (43 per cent) and to move to another company (40 per cent).
Under a fifth (22 per cent) wanted a new job title, with changing job roles coming in at 20 per cent. The least pressing priority was building a personal network which only 9 per cent of Brits desired.
However, whether these goals are actually attainable is somewhat of a pipedream in the British workplace. Nearly two thirds (64 per cent) of UK workers do not feel as though their employer is responsive to their needs and only 28 per cent believe achieving these goals in their current career is possible.
This has left 83 per cent of UK workers considering changing careers in order to achieve these priorities.
Lee Biggins, founder and CEO of CV-Library, said:
It’s alarming to see that so many professionals believe their employers aren’t responsive of their needs and don’t offer the opportunities they so blatantly desire. That’s why it’s so important to have regular catch-ups with your employees to find out what you can do to help them reach their potential within your company and accommodate their needs.
What’s more, the topic of career progression shouldn’t be avoided. In fact, you’ll build stronger relationships and increase your retention rates if you’re more open with your employees and keeping your staff happy is essential for productivity.
When discussing goals for the next 12 months, be sure to use annual reviews to discuss your employees’ career goals over the next three to five years too. This will give you an idea of where they see their job heading, while also enabling you to think about succession plans and building your talent pipeline.
Pete Eyre, managing director at Vevox, a technology company, said:
“It’s clear that employees within large organisations increasingly want to put their ideas forward to management, whether that is anonymously or face to face, and they would feel happier and more confident about coming forward in the future if they felt management was taking their ideas more seriously and addressing them properly.
Management need to take this on board and look at measures they can introduce to ensure they are listening to their employees and engaging with them more positively. Worryingly, our research found that more than one third (36 per cent) of the overall sample claim their organisation does not even have a process in place to address employee ideas.
Ed Johnson, co-founder and CEO of PushFar, a mentoring platform, said:
Organisations are increasingly engaging with the employee’s requests for mentoring. As a way to help employees to learn, upskill and ultimately progress their career, mentoring is incredibly powerful and with the support of mentor matching technologies it is now easier than ever before to implement.
Employees often fear being open with their manager about career goals. Having a mentor, who is removed from management, with career experience, skills and knowledge can bridge that gap, prove an incredibly valuable resource and ultimately provide the support needed.
CV-Library surveyed 2,000 UK professionals to obtain these results.
Monica Sharma is an English Literature graduate from the University of Warwick. As Editor for HRreview, her particular interests in HR include issues concerning diversity, employment law and wellbeing in the workplace. Alongside this, she has written for student publications in both England and Canada. Monica has also presented her academic work concerning the relationship between legal systems, sexual harassment and racism at a university conference at the University of Western Ontario, Canada.
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