In a volatile and unpredictable business environment, maintaining an engaged and motivated workforce is critical, not just for success in the short term, but to secure the future as well.

In the changing world of work, the one constant is the need for an exceptional workforce, and at the heart of that is the need for exceptional leadership. The Mercer What’s Working survey of 1000 Australian employees, conducted in mid-2011, found that the national workforce is motivated more by strong, quality leadership than employee bonuses or benefits.

As organisations fight for leadership talent, are they doing enough to nurture their current workforce for senior management roles? Worryingly, the survey found Australian employers are facing a future leadership crisis, with only 43.9 per cent of middle managers (those managing between 1-10 employees) feeling satisfied with career opportunities at their current organisation.

In addition nearly half (49.5 per cent) of senior managers (those managing 11-50 employees) were found to be seriously considering leaving their organisation. This crisis is amplified by four in ten Australian workers in non-management roles seriously considering leaving their employer.

The need to retain existing employees will only increase over the next 12 months as employers look at opportunities to recover from economic uncertainty. This challenge is even more of a struggle as remuneration budgets are likely to remain constrained and employees look to new employment opportunities in 2012.

The survey showed lack of training opportunities and career development support were two key factors in leadership failure among Australian organisations. Only 52 per cent of middle managers felt they were satisfied with their organisation’s training and learning opportunities, compared to 68 per cent of senior managers.

In addition, only 55 per cent of middle managers believe there are opportunities for continuous learning within their organisation, compared to 69 per cent of senior managers. Adding to this disengagement crisis, only 42.5 per cent of middle managers think their organisation does a good job of retaining its most talented people. This is no surprise if employers are failing to provide adequate training and career support for the entire workforce, rather than just those individuals holding top positions.

Without continuous training and mentoring support, organisations are going to face lacklustre talent pools: the next generation of leaders will be ill-prepared for promotion and increased management responsibility, and lack the motivation to remain engaged and productive.

Finding talent

Employers grappling with the challenge of workforce planning are potentially overlooking two very important groups of employees who have the ability and desire to reach leadership levels, but lack the support they need.

Mercer’s research shows that a disproportionate number of women drop out of the workforce at mid-management levels, failing to progress to senior ranks. Despite all the talk about raising the number of women in leadership positions, only one in four (26 per cent) Australian and New Zealand companies have a clearly defined strategy to attract and retain women long enough to reach senior leadership positions.

Employers need to build greater flexibility in the workforce to help keep women engaged and provide the opportunity to build their career without sacrificing their personal lives. Currently, only 30 per cent of middle managers are satisfied with the company’s employee assistance plan and only 12 per cent are satisfied with childcare support from their organisation.

Another untapped talent pool is the older worker. More than 1 in 5 workers will be aged 55 or over by 2012 and the biggest increase in labour force will be amongst older females (60-plus). However, research has found older workers are feeling left out of career development opportunities, with only 40 per cent of 55 to 64-year-olds feeling they have sufficient opportunities for growth and development.

In addition to opening up greater career opportunities for Australia’s older and experienced workers, employers need to think ahead and enforce adequate succession planning as baby boomers begin to edge towards retirement age in the coming years. Organisations need to look at where their older employees are best placed within the organisation, and where their skills and experience can be shared and optimised to prepare the next generation of leaders.

To help support these succession plans, CEOs need to become increasingly involved in leadership development and become champions for change. Without this executive involvement, employers will be unable to deliver on workforce planning and risk losing the bench strength that will help them remain competitive in an uncertain market.

Source:Business Spectator

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