WHAT TALENT WANTS, TALENT GETS

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1 WHAT TALENT WANTS, TALENT GETS A study of what the top 10% of the world s employees want at work BY JAMES ADONIS

2 WHAT S THIS ABOUT? We surveyed 260 of the world s most talented employees to find out what it is they want at work. These employees were identified as being within the top 10% of the workforce in the companies. 45% of these employees are in Australia, 45% are in North America, and the rest are from other countries around the globe. They consist of all ages and across most industries. On the following pages you ll find precisely what they want and expect from their employers in order to remain engaged and in your employ. Enjoy! Marketing and customer relations Health and well-being The subscription-based CEO Online web site ( was developed in association with The CEO Institute to provide business leaders and managers with timely, relevant, and leading-edge business information. This survey would not have been possible had it not been for the support of PeoplePulse and CEO Online. I sincerely thank them for their generosity and partnership. SUPPORTERS With over 150 local clients, PeoplePulse is one of Australia s leading providers of online survey software for HR related surveys. CEO Online is a 24/7 global centre of learning, providing an expansive research library of the latest in management development and thought leadership from around the world. Learn from articles, case studies and expert opinions about: Motivating or retaining staff Making teams more effective Managing conflict Business growth and performance Leadership styles or attributes Workplace culture and change International commerce Strategic and business planning PeoplePulse is a cost-effective online survey and feedback tool that enables Management to collect accurate feedback from employees, clients and candidates. PeoplePulse surveys help Management to gain rich and revealing insight in identifying key problems, soliciting new ideas, gaining feedback on performance and increasing referrals. PeoplePulse surveys can be completed by recipients and the results viewed by Management from anywhere in the world via the Internet. Management can collate, analyse and report survey results in real time. Find out more about PeoplePulse at:

3 What motivates you the most at work? Salary 12.06% Meaningful work Challenging work 10.29% 9.85% Flexibility An excellent manager Learning opportunities Interesting work Using your natural talents in your role Great colleagues Opportunities for career advancement 8.30% 7.96% 7.74% 7.41% 7.08% 6.86% 6.31% Autonomy 4.09% Additional responsibility 2.88% Training Bonuses / Commissions Exposure to senior management Coaching Influence over others Other (please specify) Tangible incentives (such as movie tickets, gift vouchers, etc) Competitions None of the above (you re self-motivated) More breaks 1.77% 1.66% 1.55% 1.55% 1.44% 0.55% 0.44% 0.22% 0% 0% Other responses: Ideas listened to and acted on; Reaching goals; Being evaluated; Recognition: More annual leave. 1

4 Do you love your job? Rather not say 8% No 21% Yes 71% 2

5 What do you dislike most about your work? Bureaucracy 19.81% Communication 15.62% Other (please specify) 10.96% Career opportunities 9.79% Management 9.09% Culture 8.86% Little opportunity to use natural skills and talents at work Level of influence 6.06% 6.99% Too easy / simplistic 4.66% Peers / colleagues Clients / customers The company s reputation The job itself Difficulty / complexity 2.10% 1.86% 1.86% 1.86% 0.47% Other responses: Dealing with petty issues; Insufficient time; Lack of training; Office politics; Paperwork; Amount of work; Location; Outsourcing partners; Long hours; Lack of respect; Segregation between departments; Level of salary; Not enough clients; Lack of structure; Short-staffed; Burnout; CEO reputation; Colleagues not adhering to policies; Boring work; Shifting priorities; Too many urgent things; Nepotism; Distance from home; Micromanagement; Lack of processes; Stress; Lack of teamwork; No work/life balance. 3

6 What do you like most about your work? The job itself 17.11% Peers / colleagues 16.33% Clients / customers 11.20% The company s reputation 10.58% Culture 9.64% Level of influence 8.55% Management 7.93% Career opportunities 6.07% Communication 5.13% Difficulty / complexity 4.35% Other (please specify) 2.49% Little opportunity to use natural skills and talents at work Bureaucracy Too easy / simplistic 0.16% 0% 0.47% Other results: Autonomy; CEO is a visionary; Part-time hours; Variety in work; Management encourages self improvement & out of the box thinking; Challenging; Deal with big issues; Flexibility; Learning opportunities; Potenital to make difference; Responsibility; Benefits. 4

7 How satisfied are you with the recognition you receive for your work? Very Satisfied 19.02% Somewhat Satisfied 44.57% Undecided 13.59% Somewhat Dissatisfied 16.30% Very Dissatisfied 6.52% 5

8 Which methods of recognition do you prefer? Pay rise 24.64% Private verbal recognition 24.07% Bonus 13.47% Public praise 10.89% Promotion 10.60% Additional responsibilities 7.45% Time off work 6.02% Other (please specify) 1.72% Certificates 1.15% Other responses: Vouchers; Opportunities for profesional development; Trust; Support for ideas; Listening; Training. 6

9 Do you feel that you re paid enough for the work that you do? Rather not say 9% No 49% Yes 42% 7

10 Who do you feel is responsible for helping you to achieve your career goals? Yourself 74.46% Direct supervisor 18.48% Other (please specify) 3.26% Human Resources 2.72% Nobody 1.09% Other responses: A combination of management, HR, and individual effort; Mentors. 8

11 Which communication methods do you prefer to receive from your direct manager? Face-to-face 52.88% % Team meetings 13.46% Phone 8.01% Newsletters / memos 1.28% Instant Messenger (like Yahoo and MSN) 0.32% Other (please specify) 0% Online social networking sites (like Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, and Xing) 0% Podcasts 0% SMS/ text message 0% 9

12 How satisfied are you with your work/life balance? Very Satisfied 20.11% Somewhat Satisfied 51.15% Undecided 4.60% Somewhat Dissatisfied 19.54% Very Dissatisfied 4.60% 10

13 Which of the following work/life balance initiatives do you prefer? Work from home 27.74% Flex time 23.55% Compressed weeks (working longer hours per day for more days off during the week) 19.68% Self-rostering (choose your own hours) 17.10% Other (please specify) 2.90% Varying work patterns (changing rosters) 2.90% Unpaid leave 2.26% Job sharing 1.29% Annualised hours (flexibility to spread your working hours over the year as you choose) Part-time hours 1.29% 1.29% Other responses: Reasonable hours and work load; Working normal business hours; Fewer work hours; Travel options; Longer breaks; Rostered days off; Family involvement at work. 11

14 Which preferred method of development do you prefer to receive? Coaching and mentoring 30.18% Conferences and seminars 26.22% Group training programs 16.46% Varied job experiences 12.80% Online courses 7.32% Books / printed material 3.05% Videos and DVDs 2.13% Other (please specify) 0.91% Podcasts and CDs 0.91% Other responses: Ongoing education classes; University/college courses; Webinars. 12

15 How satisfied are you with the amount of training and development that you receive at work? Very Satisfied 18.97% Somewhat Satisfied 32.76% Undecided 12.07% Somewhat Dissatisfied 22.41% Very Dissatisfied 13.79% 13

16 How satisfied are you with the relationship you have with your direct manager? Very Satisfied 41.18% Somewhat Satisfied 38.82% Undecided 7.65% Somewhat Dissatisfied 8.82% Very Dissatisfied 3.53% 14

17 How important is it for you to have a great relationship with your Executive team and CEO? Very Important 60.59% Important 30.59% Neutral 6.47% Unimportant 2.35% Very Unimportant 0% 15

18 Which attributes do you admire most in a manager? Approachability 20.13% Great communicator Mentoring style 11.50% 11.18% Collaborative Availability 8.79% 8.15% Hard-working Direct Transparent Caring Successful Focused on your personal success Outgoing / sociable Analytical Authoritative Other (please specify) Female Male Older Reserved / quiet Younger 6.39% 5.91% 5.59% 5.59% 4.15% 3.99% 2.88% 1.60% 1.44% 1.28% 0.48% 0.32% 0.32% 0.32% 0% Other responses: Integrity; Promoter of employees work; Experience; Leads by example; Listening skills; Vision; Intelligent; Educated/Qualifications; Understands expectations. 16

19 How much do you care about your company s mission and vision? Not at all 2.94% A little 8.24% Somewhat 10.59% A lot 38.82% Totally 38.82% Rather not say 0.59% 17

20 What gets in the way of you being able to do a great job at work? Cumbersome processes and procedures 19.04% Short-staffed 18.31% Bureaucracy 16.87% Poor management 14.70% Outdated technology 13.49% Incompetent peers 11.81% Other (please specify) 5.78% Other responses: Overwork; Tiredness; Poor teamwork; Unrealistic timelines; Lack of communication; Information overload; Training; Customers; Lack of administration support; Micromanagement; Inexperienced leadership. 18

21 What attracts you to a position the most? A higher salary 26.09% A more exciting job 16.77% Opportunity for advancement 16.15% A reputable company 15.53% An inspiring manager 9.63% Flexibility 8.70% Better location 4.97% Other (please specify) 2.17% Other responses: Opportunity to build new initiatives; Opportunities to learn and grow; Clients; Culture; Benefits. 19

22 What would put you off accepting a position with another company? Lack of rapport built with the management and staff you ve met 24.02% Refusal to negotiate on salary and benefits 17.07% Poor feedback from a current employee 16.51% A poor interviewer 15.57% Unfavourable press in the media 14.26% A long recruitment process 10.13% Other (please specify) 2.06% Other responses: An unethical company; If the role was different to what was represented; Lower salary; Longevity in current position; Environmental record; Lack of benefits; Negative work environment. 20

23 When seeking a new job, where do you look? Online job sites 25.15% Word of mouth / existing contacts 21.25% Newspaper career sections 17.54% Recruitment agencies 13.26% Directly on companies websites 11.11% Seminars, conferences, and networking events 5.26% Online networking websites 4.87% Other (please specify) 1.17% Other responses: I ve never looked for another role. 21

24 How long do you plan on staying with your current employer? Less than 12 months 14.29% 1 to 2 years 20.24% 2 to 3 years 11.90% 3 to 4 years 6.55% Over 4 years 47.02% 22

25 How long do you believe is an adequate amount of time to remain in the one job before moving on? Less than 12 months 0.60% 1 to 2 years 13.69% 2 to 3 years 30.95% 3 to 4 years 28.57% Over 4 years 26.19% 23

26 If you were tempted to resign from your employer, what would make you stay? More money 31.49% Change in job structure / tasks / responsibilities 21.75% More flexibility 17.86% A promotion 12.01% Change of management 6.82% Other (please specify) 4.87% A sideways job change 2.92% Better technology 2.27% Other responses: Nothing; Rewards and Recognition; Training; Closer location; More assistance; More resources to complete the job; Inspirational leadership. 24

27 What s the minimum pay rise that it would take for you to leave your current job to do the same work? 5% or less 5.36% 6% - 10% 17.86% 11% - 15% 19.64% 16% - 20% 19.64% 21% - 25% 17.26% 26% - 30% 5.36% 31% or more 14.88% 25

28 Thinking about the most recent job from which you resigned, what was your reason for leaving? For a more interesting job 15.92% Limited opportunities for advancement 15.71% More money 13.67% To work for a better company 8.37% You were bored 8.37% To get away from your manager 7.55% Other (please specify) 5.92% For greater flexibility 5.92% To work for a more reputable company 5.92% To work closer to home 4.90% Promotion elsewhere To get away from your colleagues To start your own business 1.63% 2.65% 3.47% Other responses: Opportunity to move country; Retrenchment; Relocation; To be a housewife/househusband; Benefits; Bankruptcy; End of contract; High-pressured job. 26

29 Where would you like your next career move to be? Up (a promotion) 63.10% Sideways (different role, same level) 22.62% Down (stepping back) 4.76% Out (starting your own business) 9.52% 27

30 About James Adonis James Adonis, leading international expert on employee engagement, shows managers around the world how to engage their employees so that they become loyal high-performers. By the time he was 24, James was managing a team of 100. His major achievements have included taking a team that had employee turnover exceeding 70% and reducing it to zero where it was maintained for 2 years. He has also achieved employee engagement results that have exceeded not only the industry standard, but world s best practice. Recognised internationally as a premier expert on engagement and retention, James s articles are regularly published in many countries. He is frequently featured in the media as a thought leader on people management and is the author of Love Your Team: How to halve your employee turnover in less than 90 days!, which is currently on sale in all bookstores across Australia. Thought-provoking and entertaining, James s keynote presentations and workshops show companies how to solve staff turnover, engage Generation Y, and win the war for talent. James has presented to audiences across Australia, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and for companies such as McDonald s, American Express, Coca-Cola, and Gucci. In 2008, James is the President of the National Speakers Association of Australia (NSW Chapter) - the youngest person in the history of the Association to hold such an honour. To download complimentary e-books on engagement, retention, and recruitment (valued at $60), or to join over 3,000 managers who receive James s free Employee Engagement Newsletter, please visit and click on With Compliments. 28

31 James Adonis, 2008 Feel free to forward this e-book on to anyone else you think may find it of benefit. This e-book can be printed, re-sold, and distributed. However, all that we request is that you do not amend any of the information contained within it and that you credit James Adonis as the compiler of this e-book.

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