Untitled 2 In today’s marketplace, the ‘top talent’ is increasingly open to listening to and confidentially considering new opportunities within the Print & Packaging industry. With the surge in the number of Candidates happy to engage regarding new prospects, now more than ever it is imperative that Businesses communicate with their employees to understand their basic motivators and overall job satisfaction.

The key triggers behind a jobseeker’s need for a career change within our industry is often down to the actions of the Organisation as opposed to the Candidates personal movements. Any fundamental component of a Business, whether it be the culture, the remuneration packages offered or its management style are all factors which can and will affect an employee’s job satisfaction.

To guarantee your workforce is happy and motivated you must continually communicate with employees of all levels, from the bottom up. There are factors within a job prospect that will matter significantly with employees and in contrast, some which will barely matter at all. It is important that management know what their staff are thinking and can identify the differences and importance’s amid these factors – Complications should be dealt with before it’s too late and employees begin to view the difficulties as a primary trigger to look for a new opportunity within the industry.

During January 2016 Blayze Unguem undertook a comprehensive study of the Print & Packaging Industry’s Candidate pool with a simple aim, to identify the most current primary causes for career changes within our Industry.

Our study discovered the following: –

  • Lack of Opportunity / Progression – 33%

33% of Print & Packaging professionals seeking a new prospect were unsatisfied with the lack of opportunity for advancement in their existing Organisation. This percentage of active Candidates became job hunters as they felt that they had hit a glass ceiling within their current role, and they now seek a position which offers themselves and their career a genuine potential for progression and growth.

In order to retain and attract the best talent, a Business must recognise that career development has overtaken financial security as the key consideration for Candidates when it comes to job satisfaction. Employees should be allowed and encouraged to grow as individuals, not only will training and opportunities / promotions benefit an employee and heighten the chances of them increasing their own productivity, it will have a positive effect on the Organisation as a whole too. Demonstrating that you are willing to invest in and progress your staff’s skill-sets is a key motivator, so consider putting together a training plan for your team. Though training costs do add up, often the recruitment costs associated with replacing an individual will total significantly more, so it is beneficial to invest in your staff from the outset.

  • Money – 22%

It would seem money isn’t everything to today’s Print and Packaging professionals, the reality is you can love a profession that pays little and hate a job that pays extremely well. While a lack of financial security would make near any job displeasing, our study has shown that a pay rise or bonus doesn’t automatically increase an employee’s motivation or job satisfaction. Many Candidates are not happy with their current workplace and in fact highlighted that they would happily exchange a salary advance for personal development or a better working environment. If an employee is unsatisfied at work, increasing money is often not a long term solution – If a Business wants to understand their staff’s needs and what motivates them, frequently they have to look beyond salary.

Though our study suggested that numerous Candidates valued progression over salary, these same individuals did also acknowledge that money does matter, viewing their salary as the cherry on top, often placing the factor of salary importance as a close second. Though we identified that pay is not solely the biggest motivator for employees in today’s marketplace, it is clear that it does play a very significant part in a Candidate’s decision making process, as 22% of Candidates stated that money was the primary reason they were seeking a new prospect, often due to their current lack of financial security. The remuneration package offered to a potential employee can still be the difference between an exceptional Candidate accepting or declining your offer, even if there are numerous opportunities for advancement within the Organisation.

  • Company Restructures – 13%

Over recent years we have noticed the number of merger, acquisition and restructuring activities taking place within both the Print and Packaging arenas. Whilst the perception of the current marketplace may be that the Industry is thriving and that Organisations are confident about the coming year’s performance, during January 2016, 13% of our Candidates were seeking a new role due to the restructuring and reorganisation of their current Employers within the UK market.

Last year we witnessed key players within the industry fall in to administration, with many other Businesses publicising that they were to close some of their facilities too. In contrast, there was no lack of positive PR regarding Business growth taking place within the marketplace either, as well as observing a few of the larger market-leading firms acquiring smaller Businesses within the industry.

  • Location – 10%

Another factor driving career changes within the Industry is the location of a Business to its employees – 10% of our Candidates felt that their daily commute to work had a negative, long-term effect on their productivity and general job satisfaction, leading to a need for change.

Though some Candidates relish the idea of moving their life to a new location in order to start an exciting career, many professionals have personal ties with a location and cannot relocate due to the family and friends they would be leaving behind. With the continuing proliferation of skill gaps in niche sectors within the Print and Packaging industry, employers must recognise the fact that not every Candidate can move and must now consider offering flexible working locations in order to attract and retain the best talent in the market. In certain sectors, Organisations can’t afford to limit their Candidate pool to a small geographic area.

Developments in technology are also playing a big part in a Candidates decision making process. Continuous advancements are gradually making it easier for employees to work from almost any location, so in today’s marketplace Candidates are being fussier with the whereabouts of their workplace. We are seeing an increase in the number of Organisations allowing their employees to work off site or from home, placing trust in them to continue to achieve targets and set objectives irrespective of their location.

  • Lack of Work-Life Balance – 7%

Another factor affecting our Candidates was their lack of work-life balance. Technology advancements have resulted in professionals bringing their work life home and whilst this does allow employees to occasionally spend more time in their home environment during working hours, it has also brought an expectation upon staff to undertake work tasks when they are supposed to be ‘off the clock’. An employee should be able to switch off the Company mobile and laptop and explore personal endeavours, whether this is in the form of spending quality time with the family, or participating in their favourite sports / hobbies.

Candidates who repeatedly feel tied down by their career are more likely to become unsatisfied with their job and often extreme cases lead to burnout and stress. It is vital that staff have a life outside of the office too, balance is key to a happy employee. In January, 7% of jobseekers viewed their lack of work-life balance as the focus for seeking a new career. To many, family circumstances were the major consideration when selecting a new working environment or location. Though personal home problems can negatively influence an individual’s ability to perform at work, often, it is worse on the well-being of an employee when work difficulties affect the home life.

Due to the individual differences in employee needs within a Business, when managing a workforce, it is often beneficial to take a flexible approach, particularly when it comes to the hours of work. Consider the requests of your employees and comprehend whether these needs can be fulfilled within the guidelines of your Organisation. Making an allowance for individual needs shows employees that the Business is prepared to help keep its workforce happy and that each employee is both wanted and needed within the team, reducing the chances of an employee seeking a change.

  • Employees Feel Undervalued / Poor Management – 4%

A valued employee is a dedicated employee. Any respectable Manager or Leader will encourage employee loyalty within an Organisation, after all, it has been said that ‘employees don’t quit their job, they quit their boss’. Though it is not imperative for employees and management to be best friends, a boss does play a significant role in the day-to-day life of their employees. Management who lack the ability to communicate well, offer opportunities and value their team, serve only to significantly increase the chances of a Business having a high turnover rate.

Feeling unsatisfied with the guidance of Senior Management was not a common primary focus for our Candidates seeking new employment. Our study highlighted that only 4% of Candidates felt as though Management was their main pain point and trigger behind moving roles within the Print & Packaging industry. Often management is too focused on the demands of the Business that they forget to pay attention to and work on their relationships with their staff, which is important to an Organisation’s overall success. Many of our Candidates highlighted the importance of their working relationship with the Senior members of staff, however, many other factors were seen as more important to guarantee job satisfaction.

When it comes to job satisfaction and employee motivation, what jobseekers value as the most important factor can greatly differ. Overall our Print & Packaging Candidates expressed to our specialist Consultants that professional success and satisfaction emanated from more than just money, and that the chance of progression and advancement within a Business was more valued. When an employer identifies that there are numerous factors affecting job satisfaction and learns how to support and improve them, a satisfied workforce will be created.