Business people cheering celebrating new year
Every year, I create workplace predictions based on my work with clients and my uncanny ability to see what others miss. Here are the first five of eighteen workplace predictions for the coming year. The rest will be announced in my January newsletter, which you can receive by subscribing here.
1. Record numbers of employees will jump ship within three months of receiving their year-end bonuses.
Right now, while you’re thinking about last minute holiday gifts for the family, there’s a recruiter calling one of your people. They’re probably suggesting that this person meet with them next week, while you’re on vacation.
Now’s the time to have that conversation you seem to never have time for. You know the one where you ask your employee how you can help her achieve her career aspirations. Do this today, even if it means canceling that holiday lunch you’ve scheduled with one of your cronies.
2. Experienced bounty-hunters will have a much easier time pulling talent out of organizations than in years past, leaving behind the exact people employers wish they had taken.
Why is is that the good people get plucked and the people we wish would leave seem to be left behind? First of all, if you’ve got people on your team that you hope will be recruited away, then you’ve got a big problem. You’re not managing people out of the organization.
Make a list. On the left side, place the names of those who you’d really miss if they went away tomorrow. These are your keepers and where you should be devoting most of your attention. On the right side, write down the names of people who you’d be thrilled to see go. They need your attention too. They need to be sent packing.
I’m not telling you to do this right before Christmas. But what I am saying is that you should take action the first week of January.
3. There will be a lot more shouting in organizations as employees tell harassers to keep their frigging hands to themselves.
I was speaking with an executive of a very large organization about a speech I’m delivering to his leadership team. I asked him some very pointed questions, including a few on the atmosphere in his organization in terms of harassment. He quickly dismissed this part of our conversation and said, “We don’t have any harassment problems here.”
Here’s what went through my head. Really? Hundreds of global employees working in a male dominated industry and you don’t think there’s even the slightest possibility this is going on in your organization as well?
Let me tell you, we’re going to hear a lot more stories about sexual harassment. If you don’t want to be tomorrow’s headlines, then take action today.
4. We’ll see a slew of men (and some women) being “put on leave” as more stories of harassment become public knowledge.
See #3.
5. Companies will still be surprised when employees are disappointed with the meager raises they will be receiving.
2018 is going to be the year of surprises for all of us. Individual healthcare contributions will rise, which means employees will take home even less in their paychecks. A measly three percent pay increase is not going to do anything to inspire people to work harder.
If you want people to stay, then you’ll need to take the money from what will probably be large corporate tax cuts and use them for salary increases. Of course you’re welcome to ignore this advice, which is exactly what headhunters are hoping for as they look to pluck record levels of talent out of organizations.
© Matuson Consulting, 2017. All Rights Reserved.
Want to create an organization that attracts top talent towards you? Contact me at Roberta@matusonconsulting.com and we’ll get a call on the calendar.
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Roberta Matuson is the author of the newly released second edition of Suddenly in Charge, The Magnetic Leader and Talent Magnetism.
