A study published last summer in the Harvard Business Review says that the top reason talented young people leave for new jobs is because they’re not learning enough. Education author and journalist, Annie Murphy Paul reports, “Researchers found that high achievers, 30 years old on average with great school and work credentials, are leaving their employers after an average of 28 months.” She adds, “Learning new skills is what people want and expect from work these days, and employers who would like to hire and retain the best talent would be wise to create an environment in which learning is fostered.” This news hardly seems groundbreaking, but it solidifies a very real problem: learning, growing and being valued in a job are in short supply in the workforce today.
What’s the solution? We can start by throwing away the notion that “work” has to be, by definition, a soul-deadening daily grind. This study illuminates a paradigm shift in today’s job market, one that values making work meaningful and personal and challenging. These are the attributes we’ve outlined in our Philosophy, and also how we define living life in the grey. Which is why we believe there’s never been a better time to start doing meaningful work.
Does your job challenge you to learn new skills?
Source: Why Workers Leave (It’s Usually Not About The Money)
[Image: Flickr user Daniel Kulinski]