Everyone wants to grow their careers, but according to a new survey, working for a growing company is seen as a critical aspiration and motivator for most British workers.
According to the new report, which surveyed 1,000 full-time employees in the UK, 56 per cent of British workers would commit to an extra ten hours of work per week if it meant working for a growing company, rather than working 9-5 at a stagnant organisation. Moreover, nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) of British employees say that the growth and success of their employer directly contributes to their personal happiness. Eighty per cent believe that working for a growing company will help them grow more professionally.
Leaders should ignore this commitment to growth from the workforce at their peril, or risk losing employees. Nearly a quarter of employees (23 per cent) have quit a job because they felt that the organisation wasn’t growing fast enough. In fact, almost a quarter of British employees (23 per cent) would move anywhere in the world if it meant working for an exciting, growing company.
Symbiotic relationship between growth and “meaningful” work
The importance of meaning in work has often been highlighted, particularly in reference to the generations currently in the early stages of their careers or just entering the workforce. The survey found that nearly two-thirds of full-time employees (61 per cent) would be more apt to accept a job offer if they felt that the work was “more meaningful” than their current position. And company growth can be critical here. When asked what would make them stay at a growing startup versus taking a new position at a more established organisation, more people (39 per cent) said the feeling of personal fulfilment than anything else, including financial compensation (26 per cent). It works the other way also. Eighty-four per cent of employees agree that if the work they’re doing is meaningful to them, they’re more willing do whatever it takes to help their organisation grow.
A special relationship?
While British employees are highly motivated by the growth of their employers, we are still put to shame by the corporate pep of Americans. Sixty-nine per cent of American workers would rather work ten extra hours per week if it meant being part of a growing company (compared with the 56 per cent of Brits). In addition: British employees are less likely to think that their work contributes directly to the growth of their organisation (71 per cent versus 80 per cent of Americans); British employees are less deferential to business leaders with just 28 per cent of workers feeling that company leadership is the most important contributor to growth, compared with 38 per cent of Americans.
Mark Robinson, co-founder of Kimble Applications, says,
In today’s startup heavy ecosystem, it’s no surprise that British employees want to work for growing companies, but the findings from our survey should make companies that are stuck in neutral incredibly worried. What we know is that employees want to feel like they’re directly contributing to the success of a growing company. These findings underline the importance of continual momentum and should encourage leaders to seek ways to understand and quantify their current and future growth trajectories, and to communicate this clearly to employees.
Additional stats from Kimble’s Business Growth Report include:
Most employees are influenced by communication; 39 per cent said that they would feel more invested in their company’s growth if leadership was sharing updates more often while 49 per cent said they might be if the right information was being shared. While 42 percent of respondents said “to get paid” was the primary reason they do the work that they do, 22 percent said it was “to advance their personal career,” 22 percent said it was “to feel fulfilled,” and 13 percent said it was “to help their organization grow”
*Released today (Wednesday) by Kimble Applications
Interested in business growth through organizational design? We recommend the Re-engineering Performance Management training day and Reward Strategies to Deliver Business Objectives training day.
Aphrodite is a creative writer and editor specialising in publishing and communications. She is passionate about undertaking projects in diverse sectors. She has written and edited copy for media as varied as social enterprise, art, fashion and education. She is at her most happy owning a project from its very conception, focusing on the client and project research in the first instance, and working closely with CEOs and Directors throughout the consultation process. Much of her work has focused on rebranding; messaging and tone of voice is one of her expertise, as is a distinctively unique writing style in my most of her creative projects. Her work is always driven by the versatility of language to galvanise image and to change perception, as it is by inspiring and being inspired by the wondrous diversity of people with whom paths she crosses cross!
Aphrodite has had a variety of high profile industry clients as a freelancer, and previously worked for a number of years as an Editor and Journalist for Prospects.ac.uk.
Aphrodite is also a professional painter.
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