Managing dissatisfaction at workplaces the biggest challenge for corporates

Managing employee satisfaction at workplaces has become paramount for most corporates. Human Resource chiefs state that across industries, 2015 is set to be a year of immense growth and that getting the best talent has become more of a challenge.

Pankaj Bansal, Co-Founder and CEO, PeopleStrong HR Services, says that companies need to understand the reasons why employees are unhappy at work, and create an environment that is conducive for growth, even as they recognise employees’ efforts.

Hussain Tinwala of TeamLease, a recruitment agency, noted that in some companies, there is no formal mechanism to measure performance, identify, recognise and reward employees, which leads to high attrition. Based on a candidate survey across sectors and cities, TeamLease identified five factors as the most critical determinants of employee dissatisfaction and attrition. Role expectation mismatch was the prime cause, since the job reality was substantially different from the candidate’s perception. Lack of growth or career instability has been termed another major factor, given that there is a sense of insecurity in what may, usually, be an uncertain work environment, or when the job lacks clarity.

TeamLease has noted that lack of autonomy is another factor, where candidates are not allowed to make routine task-related decisions. In some cases, the employer’s brand is also important, for the stature of the company is a motivating factor, as is the absence of recognition or rewards. According to the India Skills Report 2015, which is a combined study by PeopleStrong, Confederation of Indian Industry, Wheebox, and LinkedIn, an average increase of 23 per cent in jobs is expected in the coming year. “In a country like India that is entering the phase of reaping the demographic dividend, with about 0.8 billion working population by 2020, matchmaking the jobs and skills is of utmost importance,” said PeopleStrong’s Bansal. He added, “Other than IT, few sectors that see high attrition are ITES/BPO, retail, pharma, as well as the banking, financial services and institution (BFSI) sectors, primarily the insurance industry.”

While planning talent acquisition for the next half year, employers are reportedly placing far more emphasis on soft skills. Rajesh Save, Global Head (Human Resources), Syntel Inc, says, “IT skills can be bucketed into three or four basic primary skill sets. All the secondary and tertiary skilled staff requirements are on the rise.” As employers’ need for newer skills is accelerating, so are candidate aspirations for cutting edge careers. Tinwala adds, “Bright people are no longer interested in stable jobs. They pick riskier and challenging assignments.”

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