Training Industry Magazine - Spring 2024 - 15

CAREER
DEVELOPMENT
JULIE WINKLE
GIULIONI
IS CONTENTMENT THE NEW PROMOTION?
In a world where we're bombarded daily
with research studies, opinions and
news about employee dissatisfaction,
it's easy to internalize a bleak picture
of workforce sentiment: stress, burnout,
mental health challenges, absenteeism,
disengagement, attrition. And while
very real for many employees (and
employers), it's not the complete picture.
TODAY'S WORKFORCE
IS LOOKING FOR A
NEW AND DIFFERENT
RELATIONSHIP
WITH WORK.
Earlier this year, Randstad released
its annual workmonitor 2024 report,
including a happier and more hopeful
statistic than we've come to expect:
39% of workers don't want to be
promoted because they like their
current jobs.
A significant
yet
frequently
silent
number of employees actually like
what they're currently doing. In fact,
they like it so much that they're not
interested in pursuing the traditional
definition
of
career
success:
That
upward trajectory, always moving
toward the next level.
Given the pressures of the past few
years, the break-neck pace of change,
challenges with retention and more, it's
understandable that organizations and
leaders have been forced to focus on
gaps, problems and what's not working.
But this research shines a bright light
on a new and necessary area of focus
- addressing, mining and amplifying
what is working for many.
People are looking for something more
- or perhaps something less. Today's
workforce is looking for a new and
different relationship with work. The
old employment contract - where the
organization gave us a job and we gave
everything we had in exchange - has
given way to a more balanced and
personalized quid pro quo. Employee
contentment is at the core of the
new equation. My own research has
shown that interest in contentment has
steadily grown since the beginning of
the pandemic. For many employees,
contentment eclipses the desire to
climb up the corporate ladder.
IS CONTENTMENT BECOMING THE
NEW PROMOTION?
These shifting aspirations challenge
organizations and leaders to adjust
mindsets and practices - and figure out
how to facilitate an employee experience
that's tailored to the unique needs and
wants of the individual. Rather than
focusing on new roles, leaders may be
better served to promote the experience
of achievement, autonomy, enjoyment
and growth required to fuel engagement
and future-proof careers. In lieu of a
new title, employees may be looking
for more meaning, purpose, positive
relationships at work or the balance to
also enjoy positive relationships outside
of work. Promoting the ability to use
one's creativity, strengths and talents
represents a more attractive value
proposition to a large portion of the
population than arriving at the next rung
of the corporate ladder.
Because of the limited number of
promotions and the way organizations
dispense them, leaders frequently felt
they lacked what was necessary for
career growth and satisfaction.
But this is no longer the case. Leaders
have everything they need to promote
contentment. The ability to deliver
a
deeply
satisfying
and
engaging
employee experience is completely
within an individual leader's sphere of
influence ... but only if they're ready to:
* Release old models and assumptions
about what employees are looking
for. One size no longer fits all.
Acknowledging this and approaching
each employee with fresh eyes and
an open mind allows leaders to meet
people where they are.
* Engage in a new, different conversation.
Embracing the possibilities associated
with elevating contentment demands a
deeper understanding of the employee
than ever before. Moving beyond the
surface-level discussions of where
someone sees themselves in five years
requires trust, rapport and an ongoing
thread of meaningful dialogue.
Just like so much else in business,
the idea of career advancement is in
transition. Promotions may no longer
be the universal hallmark of success.
The " peak " for many employees is
migrating from the top of the pyramid to
a more personal sense of contentment
with one's work. And that's something
everyone can be happy about.
Julie Winkle Giulioni is the author of the
bestselling books, " Promotions Are SO
Yesterday " and " Help Them Grow or
Watch Them Go. " Email Julie.
TRAINING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE - SPRING 2024 I WWW.TRAININGINDUSTRY.COM/MAGAZINE
15

https://www.juliewinklegiulioni.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/JWG-Summary-Career-Development-2024.pdf https://workforceinsights.randstad.com/hubfs/Workmonitor/2024/RandstadWorkmonitor2024.pdf?hsLang=nl https://workforceinsights.randstad.com/hubfs/Workmonitor/2024/RandstadWorkmonitor2024.pdf?hsLang=nl https://www.trainingindustry.com/magazine

Training Industry Magazine - Spring 2024

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