Only one in four employees confident about career in current role: Gartner

Employee confidence in their career has become shaky as a study from Gartner shows that only 25 percent of workers are assured about their career path in their current role.

A Gartner survey revealed that fewer than one in three employees knows how to progress in their career over the next five years.

Higher-ups are also facing the music as many employees do not feel that they can rely on their managers for help – only 50 percent of employees report that their manager tailors feedback based on the role they want to move into.

As a result, employees are increasingly considering leaving their organisations. The Gartner survey found that among more than 480 employees who were actively looking for a new job, three-quarters were interested in external roles.

Vitorio Bretas, director in the Gartner HR practice said, “Employees are leaving their current employers for better professional development opportunities (45 percent) at similar rates as they leave for higher compensation (48 percent).

“Thirty-five percent of employees surveyed said they left their employer for better career trajectories.”

To make it easier for employees to understand how they can grow and change their careers at their current organisations, HR leaders must shift their strategies around three key career growth moments, setting your career trajectory, progressing your career and achieving your goals.

As work is increasingly distributed, employees spend less time working with colleagues in different roles, making it difficult to observe what career options are available. Employees need opportunities to experience career options so they can see themselves in careers in an individualised way, according to Gartner.

Developing skills

The Gartner survey found that 94 percent of employees say it’s more or equally important now than before COVID-19 to develop skills outside their roles. Yet, current career development approaches focus on employees growing and developing in their current roles, but not towards future roles.

Bretas said HR must show employees that there are many ways to progress their careers at the organisation, not just one correct route.

He said, “Crowdsourcing career experiences from colleagues and leaders can help employees connect the dots between their current career trajectory to possible career moves.”

If an employee’s own experiences are unique, seeing various examples from colleagues shows them where they fit among a diverse tapestry of experiences at the organisation.

Employees have said that the pandemic has caused them to rethink the place of work in their lives. The Gartner survey highlighted that 75 percent of employees want to spend more time on their personal lives, while more than two-thirds report they want to find purpose beyond work.

Employers need to demonstrate to employees how a career at their organisation can help them get closer to achieving both their professional and their personal goals.

The onus to support employees on understanding how their career can help them find fulfilment in their lives must be shared between HR and managers. Relying solely on the manager is risky, as only 41 percent of employees feel comfortable sharing concerns with their leaders.