"Maslow at work"
This morning I received LinkedIn message from Elena Kornyshkova, who was helping me and my classmates with self-positioning on the job market, development of networking skills, and pre-career formation process during my study in GSOM. Within preparation for a conference, Elena asked me following questions:
"How would you characterize your generation at GSOM? What are the values, goals? How a company can motivate your generation of the best, most educated, goal oriented to work there and to stay with this company for a long period, for career?"
My first intent was to send an immediate answer with plenty of text that immediately appear in my head but then I decided to post it here and to get other opinions from you. Therefore, question by question...
How would you characterize your generation at GSOM?
Ambitious, smart, strong, ready to work hard, inquiring, active, communicative, charming
What are the values, goals?
Values: self-development (both professional and personal), spacious mind, financial sustainability, international mobility
Goals: getting upmarket job offers, continuing education within the company, fast career progression, developing networking, establishing material base, managing work-life balance
How a company can motivate your generation of the best, most educated, goal oriented to work there and to stay with this company for a long period, for career?
And here we come to the most interesting point a.k.a talent retention issues. I think everything is super simple here: invest in us and trust us - these are two keys. Which basically implicates that if you want talented people to stay in the company -> they have to be happy.
Therefore, welcome to the world of Maslow pyramids!
1. Material base. I think 99% of talented employees want to exist being able to breathe easy without thinking everyday about how to get enough money for buying food, clothes, tickets etc he/she wants. It worths mentioning here that "the more-the better" principle works only until certain point. I put it in the graph:
Following points, from my point of view can change their places within these three positions (2, 3, 4) highly depending on personal traits:
Respect and appreciation from colleagues
Comfortable social atmosphere at work place
Interesting work and types of tasks person likes
5. Self-development opportunities. Here we want to be able to have all types of trainings, business trips, events, etc to develop ourselves both personally and professionally.
6. Perspectives for career growth. It doesn't implicate exclusively promotion after promotion (which is obviously still welcome from time to time) ending up being boss of all the bosses. We want to be able to change fields, to try new projects and activities, to expand our career profile in all possible ways.
7. Social package. Despite it may seem so we are not made from stone and iron. So we want to have the best insurance, good vacations, and safe retirement plan.
8. Benefits. Not that important when you can already afford all of them yourself but still a nice addition that helps to increase loyalty to company.
9. Mobility + Flexibility. It has nothing to do with international career opportunities (that implies moving because career wants it) which is more in the section 5 and 6. Here we want to know that if our circumstances change and we will have to move, change hours of our appearance in the office, etc because of our personal reasons we still can stay with our beloved company.
I will be very happy if you share your own opinion about all of this with me =)