Survey: Employers lacking insight on what staff wants

What do employees want? Many bosses don’t have a clue, a new study indicates.

Nearly 70 percent of workers say compensation is very important, while employers overwhelmingly say management climate and supervisory relationship is key, according to polls by Harris Interactive for staffing and recruiting firm Spherion.

Spherion concluded that fewer than one in five employers is well-positioned to attract and retain top employees, despite the fact that companies will face talent shortages as millions of baby boomers reach retirement age.

"We still have employers thinking they’re going to manage their employees’ careers and determine what’s most important for their professional lives, whereas most employees don’t think that way anymore," said Richard Lamond, chief human-relations officer at Spherion.

"There are significant differences in the viewpoints of the worker and the employer about what motivates and drives retention."

By Barbara Rose

Chicago Tribune

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