MONTREAL, Sept. 16 /CNW Telbec/ – These days, when talented employees are becoming increasingly hard to find in the labour market, attracting the best people and keeping them motivated are hot topics for Canadian and Montréal businesspeople. During the 1990s, offering high wages was sufficient to keep a workforce satisfied and attract the most qualified talent. But that era is now over. The results of a survey carried out by Sylvie Gagnon, Market Manager at Randstad Canada, reveal that job seekers in Greater Montréal in the fields of accounting and finance attach greatest importance to whether or not their managers treat them with respect than to any other factor, including higher salaries (ranked 25th) or good fringe benefits (ranked 20th).
“Anticipating a higher salary has long topped employees’ priorities,”said Sebastien Girard, Regional Director at Randstad Canada. “But beginning in the early 2000s, the time when the transition from an employers’ to an employees’ market began, the most talented individuals became keenly aware of their value. They know they can easily find well-paid employment. So now they want to be respected by their superiors, to interact with them as equals. And it is also very true that respect is one of the main motivating factors for Generation Y, a group that is making its presence felt in the labour market.”
What do new recruits in accounting and finance really want?
The eight most frequently cited expectations of those seeking employment at the time of our survey are (in order of importance):
1. Be respected
2. Take pleasure in their work
3. Work in a pleasant work environment
4. Develop their skills
5. Put their skills to use
6. Have opportunities for advancement
7. Have recognition and validation
8. Keep their skills up to date
Employers, it’s time to act!
With the labour shortage expected to intensify over the next few years, meeting the challenge of attracting and retaining talent means creating a culture of respect within companies. Here are some points to consider:
– Establish and encourage a partner relationship between employer and employee by considering the ideas, values, vision, etc, of all parties;
– Act as a leader and coach rather than as a manager;
– Involve employees, whenever possible, in the decision-making process;
– Support an open dialogue of listening and an “open door” culture;
– Keep your word, respect promises and commitments;
– Maximize each individual’s contribution to the group by exploiting his or her strengths;
– Always be mindful that no company can exist without its employees;
– Be fair and equitable with each employee.
About the survey
The study was carried out between February and June 2006 as part of a Masters Degree project in industrial relations by Sylvie Gagnon, Market Manager at Randstad Canada. The questionnaire provided a series of 33 expectations, and those surveyed were asked to grade the importance of each on a scale of 1 to 7. Replies were given voluntarily by 334 people from the Greater Montréal area seeking employment in the fields of accounting and finance who were registered with Randstad Canada.
Randstad Canada
Randstad Canada is the country’s largest provider of staffing and HR services. With over 60 branches Randstad Canada partners with leading companies to help attract and retain the best talent in the areas of Administrative Support, Accounting and Finance, Call Centre & Customer Service, Engineering, Human Resources, Industrial Support, Information Technology, Sales and Marketing, Skilled Trades Industrial Management.
Randstad Canada is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dutch-based Randstad Holding nv. For more information, please visit randstad.ca.
/For further information: Caroline Charbonneau, Randstad Canada, (514)
350-5309 ext. 233, caroline.charbonneau@randstad.ca; Source: Randstad Canada/
Tags: employee retention
