Content We’re Loving: The Best of February 2022

💛 Every month, Content We're Loving gives you 2-minute synopses of the most noteworthy stories and reports from the world of work, HR, and people management. Check out the best of January. 

As 2022 progresses, hiring and recruiting seems to be one of the biggest challenges facing HR teams and businesses alike.

This month, we talk about retaining top performers and the top tactic to engage your most talented employees. In addition, we discuss a study by Gallup that shows what employees want from a new job. 

Last but not least, we discuss research revealing changes in recruiting status quo; companies are removing degree requirements from job descriptions and what this means for the future of hiring.

Why Your High-Performing Employees May Be Slowly Disengaging from Work

From: Fast Company
Topic: Management, employee engagement

Your highest-performing employees may be the most likely to leave.

Sounds counterintuitive, I know. In this Fast Company article, Whitney Johnson explains the psychology behind this phenomenon.

Our brains are learning machines set for growth at default. Learning releases feel-good chemicals in our brains, such as dopamine, making us feel happy and satisfied after completing a task. In short, learning feels good! 

However, no one can stay in that sweet spot forever because of a phenomenon – habituation.  

After repeated exposure to a challenge or task, our brains become habituated. So an activity that used to be novel is no longer satisfying.

This is when employees are prone to becoming disengaged. When they hit a learning plateau, the work or task no longer feels exciting or rewarding.  

Ultimately, the major takeaway: the most effective tactic for engaging top performers is keeping them challenged with new responsibilities and opportunities.

Read the full article here

The Top 6 Things Employees Want in Their Next Job

From: Gallup
Topic: Employee retention, acquisition

Gallup recently asked 13,085 U.S. employees what was most important to them when deciding whether to accept a new job offered by a new employer.

In this article, Gallup outlines the six key factors that employees consider most important when deciding whether or not to take a job.

A significant increase in income or benefits (64% said "very important")
Pay continues to top the list of important factors for employees. What did surprise Gallup, however, is how much "pay and benefits" have increased in importance. Since 2015, this item has risen in priority for workers. It now ranks as number 1, with 64% of employees naming it as a critical factor in taking a new job. 

Greater work-life balance and better personal wellbeing (61%)
In recent years, work-life balance and wellbeing have also become more important. Remote work has brought about greater awareness of the value of job flexibility, even for those who do not experience burnout.

The ability to do what they do best (58%)
Workers still consider this item to be one of the most important. People who aren't able to use their strengths very often look for jobs where they can do so. With this in mind, the article urges recruiters to make an extra effort to understand what excites a candidate about their work.

Greater stability and job security (53%)
In this climate, employees want their companies to step up and show up as a stabilizing force employees can count on through thick and thin.

COVID-19 vaccination policies that align with my beliefs (43%)
Gallup's data on the topic of employee vaccinations suggest that employees have very strong feelings on both sides of the issue. Four out of ten employees also indicated alignment between beliefs and policies to be a significant factor when being recruited.

The organization is diverse and inclusive of all types of people (42%)
In the Gallup survey, this is the first time respondents can select this option, and it ranked near the top for employees. As society progresses, its support for creating more equitable and inclusive workplaces grows.

Read the full article here

Skills-Based Hiring Is on the Rise

From: Harvard Business Review
Topic: Hiring, recruiting

In this article, the authors partnered with a leading labour-market data company. They analyzed more than 51 million jobs posted between 2017 and 2020. 

Companies are increasingly removing degree requirements, according to their findings.

The change is most noticeable for middle-skill positions — defined as those requiring some post-secondary education or training but less than a four-year degree. 

The change is also noticeable at some companies for higher-skill positions to a lesser extent. 

The authors assert that these changes to the status quo in hiring are vitally important for the future of the labour market. 

The authors contend that companies should continue with the status quo just because that's the way it's been done. Instead, companies should be carefully assessing "the value of the blunt and outdated instruments that they've been using, and the assumptions that they've been making." 

Ultimately, reevaluating hiring criteria should result in a win-win. "Previously overlooked workers will be able to pursue attractive career pathways even without a four-year degree, and companies will be better able to fill jobs that need filling.”

Read the full article here