HR and line managers are responsible for upholding their company’s corporate values and ensuring employee engagement, but many lack confidence and faith in their employer. According to the recent IDC survey of 1,352 HR professionals and line managers, sponsored by Cornerstone OnDemand, almost a third (29%) are not proud of their company and will not recommend it to others.
HR professionals and line managers in the Nordics (88%), Austria (84%), and Spain (81%) are the most satisfied with their places of work, whereas Italy (59%) and Switzerland (64%) are the least proud of their companies and the least willing to recommend it to others.
The greatest influences on ‘happiness’ in the workplace were revealed to involve career flexibility and technology. Employees from organisations permitting high levels of internal mobility and internal career moves were 19% ‘happier’ than those from employers who do not. IT systems for working remotely and being able to use personal devices at work were the other factors discovered to be most essential to the pride and loyalty of employees.
The shared denominator is flexibility and the resulting implication of trust; if employees feel that their employer trusts them, they are happier.
Managers and HR professionals in the UK are struggling with this lack of positivity towards their own company, with only 37% agreeing that their company is an attractive employer. Many also do not see the potential for internal career progression, as only 2 in 5 (42%) of those surveyed admitted to having career ambitions within their current company. UK respondents even outlined that over 1 in 10 employees (11%) are not allowed to apply for positions outside of their department.
The study also exposed that the UK was lagging behind its European counterparts in regards to the flexibility of IT systems and the availability of IT tools. The ability to use personal devices in the workplace is a particular problem, with almost half (45 %) of companies not allowing employees to bring their own devices to work; all leading to a negative effect on happiness in the workplace.
“Those leading people (managers) and those recruiting into the business (HR) should be company ambassadors, so if they don’t feel proud of who they work for, there’s an issue. The key to employee happiness is more than just a pay bump. Flexibility in progression, development and technology all play a part. Everyone can agree that a happy workforce equals a better and more successful business,” explains Vincent Belliveau, EVP and EMEA General Manager Cornerstone OnDemand.