Key findings

How is the talent challenge evolving – \and where do Vanguards have an edge over their competitors in delivering the life-work shift?

Key findings

How is the talent challenge evolving – and where do Vanguards have an edge over their competitors in delivering the life-work shift?

Re:work- creating the new playbook.

51% of Vanguards and just 33% of non-Vanguards say that in their organization, leaders and employees are already reinventing work together. Senior leaders in Vanguards are more committed to the shift: 57% say at least one C-suite stakeholder has been deeply involved in shaping the employee experience, which is almost double the level in other firms (29%).

Our global research reveals a life-work shift is underway driven by employees’ changing expectations around work and how some leading organizations are adapting to this new reality to attract and retain talent.

Tammy Browning
President, KellyOCG

Attracting and retaining talent.

Employers face fierce competition for talent, and are struggling to adapt to fast-changing employee expectations. Executives recognize poor life-work balance as a top cause of employee churn, alongside poor progression opportunities and uncompetitive pay and benefits. Leading businesses increasingly recognize the need to redesign the employee experience: 37% agree that employee expectations have changed since the pandemic.

Mental health and the life-work shift.

Leaders need to address widespread concerns about mental health and life-work balance. Just 26% of executives believe that their employer cares about their mental health (40% in Vanguards).

Is hybrid working?

Delivering the life-work shift means having a clear vision for hybrid working. Executives’ views on hybrid are mixed: only 21% of firms overall believe that hybrid working styles are positively impacting organizational culture. And 28% of all firms believe that the complexity of managing hybrid will eventually drive a requirement to return to the office for the majority of employees. In the meantime, there is concern that hybrid could affect some employees unfairly: more than a quarter of leaders (27%) say that in-office workers are seen as more productive than their remote/hybrid worker counterparts, and are more likely to be promoted. That could undermine critical work on DEI.

Executives on the move.

The “great resignation” continues to impact businesses globally, across all roles. Our research reveals its ongoing impact on leadership roles: 13% of executives admitted they are currently looking for a new role in a different organization. Just 42% are happy in their current role; 72% plan to leave their current employer within the next two years. Vanguard businesses have a significant advantage: among executives in Vanguards, 61% say they are happy, 37% plan to stay at least two years, and only 5% are job hunting.

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