Can mentoring plug the talent drain?
Asks Andrew Penker Chartered FCIPD, Founder of XSector Mentor
Many workers are ready to test the market, especially those with “specialised or scarce skills”, according to the PWC Global Workforce ‘Hopes and Fears 2022’ survey. This could mean, “more than one-third of respondents plan to ask for a raise in the coming year, and one in five said they are extremely or very likely to switch employers”. Retaining these employees will require more than just pay; fulfilling work and the opportunity to be one’s authentic self at work also matter to employees who are considering a job change.”
In the CMI article on 21st September entitled: ‘Good people don’t make a fuss they just leave’, Matthew Jenkins states that, “signs of this include employees taking less time to make decisions, distancing themselves from task-orientated conversations and decision making, and becoming overly agreeable. Passive employees will become noticeably quieter in meetings and much less visible within the workplace, whether that’s through digital or face-to-face interactions.”
What can you do about it?
Boost belonging and Communicate the company’s purpose to all workers is important, but having a sense of autonomy in their role, and the opportunity for learning and development opportunities that enable personal and professional growth is also important.
Knowledge Exchange
Knowledge exchange is often defined as a two-way exchange between researchers and research users, to share ideas, research evidence, experiences and skills. But, what if the exchanging and sharing of knowledge and ideas was created for companies and professionals to explore how to apply their knowledge and skills in the workplace?
Exercising professional judgement takes experience, confidence and effort and the implications of getting things wrong for professionals can be career and at time life-threatening.
The communication framework that would need to be in place to enable this effective exchange would require to be non-directional and non-judgemental and be capable of facilitating robust discussions within a psychological safe space from an independent and non-affiliated intermediary.
Our Solution
Mentoring (and Coaching) has the ability to enable knowledge exchange however it needs to have the potential to lead to personal, professional, and business improvement to be highly effective and valuable for companies. It also has to break the barriers often associated with a rationed and professional intervention reserved for the most senior people in large corporates.
Reciprocal Exchange
Why shouldn’t a lawyer be mentored by a Vet, or a Charity director by an Accountant, or a Surgeon by a Customer Service Advisor? Reciprocity of knowledge and ideas should be able to exist and at a time when the line between whether a company will survive or thrive is becoming more relevant than ever, a new approach is needed.
To find out more, visit: XSector Mentor
