by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

A new survey from recruiters Robert Half International and CareerBuilder.com reveals that the war for talent is in full effect and that top candidates are taking advantage of their bargaining muscle. A few very interesting stats:

   
• 6 out of 10 hiring managers complained of difficulties in finding fully qualified people. Nearly two thirds felt that the environment will be just as challenging next year and more than a quarter said they believe that hiring willl be even more challenging.

   

• 6 out of 10 candidates said they would be likely to negotiate a better compensation package today, compared with just under 3 out of 10 who felt the same way last year.

What do these numbers mean? "With an employee-driven market comes a shift in negotiating power," Matt Ferguson, chief executive of CareerBuilder.com, said in a press release.

The survey also found that hiring firms are responding to the shift by intensifying their efforts to attract and retain star performers. Nearly a third of firms had put new staff retention programs into place over the last twelve months.

Interestingly, the research also revealed that companies and workers have different ideas about which benefits inspire loyalty.

Companies focused on offering bonuses and higher pay (23% and 16% of responding companies, respectively). While more money is always a good thing, employees said that they were more likely to choose one job over another based on factors such as flexible schedules (65%) and telecommuting opportunities (33%).

I think that both companies and employees should pay a lot of attention to this survey. Its findings closely correspond with what I heard from hundreds of corporate employees during the research for my upcoming book.

If you’re a hiring manager at a big firm, the message is clear. Flexibility is extremely important to today’s best and brightest. Yes, people want to be paid fairly, but they also want to have lives outside of the office.

If you’re a top performer, this research is a good reminder that there is no need to settle for working at a company that doesn’t treat you well or in a job that doesn’t inspire you. You’ve got the leverage to pick and choose.

Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want and deserve when it comes to compensation and benefits. I know firsthand from my interviews that there are companies out there that are willing to invest in you and keeping you happy and productive.

Popularity: 13%

by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

Tired of hoarding vacation days and justifying every moment out of the office? Maybe you should send your resume to IBM. At IBM, every employee gets three weeks or more of annual vacation time and the company doesn’t keep track of how much time is taken. The downside is that IBM also doesn’t let workers carry vacation day over from year to year. You either use it or you lose it.

According to a recent New York Times article about the policy, IBM employees like the accountability and rate the firm’s laid-back attitude toward work and vacations as a top reason for staying at IBM.

Of course, some IBM employees interviewed for the article didn’t seem to be making the most out of their vacation freedom. Several noted that they check their voice mail and email frequently while on vacation and that bosses sometimes ask staff members to cancel time off in order to meet deadlines. Some complained that heavy work loads made it difficult to take much time off at all.

I think IBM’s policy is a step in the right direction. A corporate-wide attitude of flexibility toward time off can only be a good thing. However, it’s also important for work loads to be reasonable and for all managers to encourage their staff members to take time off when it’s due to them. Innovative policies only get results when people are actually allowed to use them.

Popularity: 7%

by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

The first Labor Day was celebrated on September 5, 1882. The holiday was established by the American labor movement as a yearly tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

Today, many of us see Labor Day primarily as a much-anticipated three-day weekend, a last hurrah of summer. We American workers certainly deserve it after a year of hard work and long hours.

But Labor Day is also a good time to reflect on work and your career path in general. Are you happy about how and where you’re putting in all those hours? Does your current job allow you to use your talents and contribute to the well-being of our country (and yourself) the way you’d like to? Does the idea of spending another year laboring in your job inspire feelings of excitement or dread?

Take some inspiration from all of those schoolkids going back to class with fresh notebooks and pencils and big dreams for the future. Make a fresh start this fall.

Hiring managers are also coming back from summer vacation and getting serious about filling vacant positions. If you’ve been contemplating the idea of making a career change, or looking for the best career for future entrepreneurs, then pick up one of those notebooks at a Back to School sale near you and start jotting down ideas for the next phase of your brilliant career.

Popularity: 5%