The most talented employees at large companies are increasingly demanding a better work/life balance, according to one new report.
The study by the Service and Support Professionals Association involved extensive surveys of employees–many in tech-support and related roles–in the United States in Canada. The study compared all employees to “top talent”–the people that executives defined as the top 10 percent of the employees in their companies.
The association found that “top talent places high value on flexible schedules,” particularly when working for large corporations. These top 10 percent also want a pat on the back; recognition and appreciation is far more important to them than money.
Also from the study:
- Top-talent females are much happier at their jobs than other female employees.
- Autonomy is very important to highly successful employees. Fifty-one percent of highly talented employees say that it’s “extremely important” that they operate with a degree of autonomy. Only 14 percent of other employees feel that it is extremely important.
- Fifty-three percent of top talent were referred to their companies by a friend, and only 6 percent were hooked up by a recruiter. In contrast, only 31 percent of the other employees were referred to their companies by friends. Thirty-six percent were referred by recruiters.
- Generally, it’s more important to older employees than to younger employees that they contribute to their company’s success.