Now, work is no longer necessarily seen as the end, but as a mechanism or means to attend to certain spheres of life, he adds. Therefore, if they are in a work environment that does not challenge them, that does not give them opportunities for growth or personal satisfaction, they prefer to leave.
“There is an important transformation about what new generations value in a job, against what organizations offer. In the transition and adaptation of companies to strengthen culture, diversity and inclusion, commitment to the environment and flexibility, there is a period of time in which young people fail to identify themselves and this contributes greatly to the high rotation”, says Montserrat Soto, senior executive manager of PageGroup.
What do young people value in companies?
Today, eight out of 10 Mexicans are interested in the emotional salary, that is, factors related to the work environment, growth opportunities, quality and empathy in leadership, the culture of inclusion and diversity, even benefits and programs of compensation received by the worker and that contribute to a better life balance.
For Rosalinda Ballesteros, director of the Tecmilenio Institute of Well-being and Happiness Sciences, the traditional approach in organizations is the one used by the queen of hearts from Alice in Wonderland: “Cut off her head.”
But this approach is not entirely sustainable in the long term, “the reputation of companies as an employer brand and even the constant expense in replacements is at stake, and also the high cost of work stress and the feeling of fear in occupational health that generates absenteeism and voluntary turnover is what it leads us to,” he warns.
To reduce talent turnover, Juan Pablo Murra Lascurain, rector of Professional and Postgraduate Studies at Tecnológico de Monterrey, points out that companies must define a purpose; go beyond generating resources for shareholders, in order to create shared value that helps them solve the great challenges of humanity, such as climate change or famine.
“Young people want to stay and be part of something that is important to their lives, because they no longer see work as a source of livelihood, but as a way to have an impact in the community. I don’t think these changes are bad at all, the ability to reinvent yourself and change companies is a positive for people, as long as it’s for the right reasons,” she says.
Lack of talent?
There is a structural challenge in training. Companies say they can’t find talented young people, young people can’t find jobs and universities in general say they are preparing them to offer value to organizations.
“I believe that universities must listen and be very close to the needs of the market to identify the current ones and especially the future ones, because in five years the students will already be obsolete. It is a systemic, complex challenge that requires the collaboration of the young people themselves, companies, civil organizations, academia and government”, emphasizes the rector.
But in this path of training and development, everyone must do their part, he says. Companies open up more opportunities, make them more flexible and provide the elements that young people are looking for today because they no longer see working 40 years from 9 to 6 as something good in their lives. And on the other hand, young people must understand that a job entails responsibility and commitment, although sometimes the first option is not necessarily fully aligned with their life purpose.