Last month I mentioned that I was starting a series of Compensation Cafe chats on hybrid jobs. The idea is that hybrid jobs are becoming more and more common, so it's a good time to build job pricing skills.
Think I've been drinking my own potions? Take a look at some data from the 2010 Global Talent Management and Rewards Survey that Towers Watson published last week.
First, the absolute facts. As work demands continued during the recession in the U.S.:
- 74% of the survey participants reduced workforce
- 66% announced hiring freezes
- 61% introduced salary freezes
And 61% of the employers worldwide report increased workloads for employees.
None of this is a surprise. But the numbers are stark and the smoke is just starting to clear in HR. A colleague recently described real frustration that due to hiring freezes and stymied growth, there are just no new jobs to go around even for high potentials and high performers.
Employees know what's going on. While 62% would prefer the opportunity to rapidly develop their skills and abilities, only 33% believe it is achievable -- which is exactly the number of employers who report that these opportunities are available.
In fact, when Towers Watson identifies the most difficult challenges we face currently, two address jobs and job availabilities. Here's the quote from the Executive Summary: "Now, as we emerge from the recession, companies face additional challenges and need to:
- Develop new leadership competencies for their executives
- Respond to increasing demands by employees for security, stability and opportunity that are difficult to satisfy
- Confront the complexities caused by a lack of career advancement opportunities for top talent and employees with critical skills"
If you ask me, hybrid jobs will be with us in a big way for a while, along with many other job and job definition challenges. So check out my columns in the next few weeks for tips from some real pros. Margaret Dyekman of Corporate Compensation Services and Judy Canavan of HR + Survey Solutions, will share their experiences and solutions with you. In 2010, they've addressed more hybrid jobs than ever before.
Hybrid, shmybrid -- is that your attitude? If you don't believe me (or Towers Watson), take a close look around your place as the smoke clears. Odds are, you'll realize that you could use their help.
Margaret O'Hanlon is founder and principal of re:Think Consulting. She has decades of experience teaming up with clients to ensure great Human Resource ideas deliver valuable business results. Margaret brings deep expertise in total rewards communication to the dialog at the Café; before founding re:Think Consulting, she was a Principal in Total Rewards Communications with Towers Perrin. Margaret earned her M.S. and Ed.S. in Instructional Technology at Indiana University. Creative writing is one of her outside passions, along with Masters Swimming.
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