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Is
finding a new job a New Year’s resolution for your young managers?
THAT is the
question being asked of employers throughout the UK today following
a report which found that over half of young managers are
dissatisfied with their jobs and are considering change. This is
leading to a mass haemorrhaging of young talent who are either
actively searching for or thinking about a new job. Worryingly,
employers are failing to respond to this unhappiness and
frustration.
These are the findings of a new survey by leadership development
organisation Common Purpose, who wanted to discover if there are
career traps and barriers limiting junior managers and keeping them
from fulfilling their potential as leaders of tomorrow. The report,
"Time for a change?", revealed widespread certainty that
continuing professional development could make their roles more
fulfilling, but while nearly all had received training, only 33%
found it rewarding in terms of job fulfilment. The training was
perceived to enhance career prospects, but fell short in addressing
wider aspirations and life goals. Asked what type of training
they thought would help them develop their careers and enable them
to feel fulfilled in their job, there was a strong belief that
peer-to-peer learning and external experiences would help them, with
over half of young managers wanting increased access to diverse
experiences and new people outside their own sector.
However, with such a clear understanding of the type of training
needed to enrich their jobs, there was a striking lack of awareness
of how to access it. While 75% of junior managers have considered
ways to make their jobs more fulfilling, nearly 33% said they don’t
know where to go for training and development opportunities that
will help them do this. There was also a stark lack of support for
them in seeking this training, with 84% saying that their employer
hasn’t helped them.
“These findings may not have proved a huge concern to
employers even just a few years ago,“ says Julia Middleton,
Founder and Chief Executive of Common Purpose, “but in today’s
world, organisations either create an environment in which young
managers are truly free to manage and make change, or they must face
the consequences. It’s abundantly clear from the findings that ‘ticking
the box’ with training and development programmes simply isn’t
enough. It is not rocket science, if they don’t help their talent to
flourish, someone else will,” says Julia. |
OLDER PEOPLE NEED A TICKET TO RIDE ON ALL PUBLIC TRANSPORT
40% of all
older people in the North West are not within walking distance of a
bank and well over a 3rd are not within walking distance of any
friends and family or health and social services according to new
research by leading older people’s charity Help the Aged. With 7 out
of 10 single people aged 65 and over lacking access to a car, the
Charity is calling on central and local government to ensure public
transport concessions match the needs of all older people.
The new national bus pass is being introduced in April 2008 and
older people will be able to travel free on local bus services
anywhere in England. Help the Aged fully supports the bus pass but
warns that some older people simply won’t be able to use buses due
to mobility problems or poor local services. As local authorities
set their budgets, the Charity is calling on them to provide
flexible alternatives to the bus pass such as taxi tokens or
dial-a-ride schemes. Without these alternatives a large minority of
older people will be left isolated.
Alan Burnett, senior policy officer for Help the Aged, says:-
“Many older people rely heavily on public transport to get out and
about – to go shopping, attend appointments and visit family and
friends. But we mustn’t forget that buses aren’t the answer for all
older people. In the next couple of months local councils will
be setting their budgets. Concerns over funding arrangements mean
some are already contemplating cutting back alternative travel
concession schemes such as taxi tokens or ‘dial-a-ride’. This will
have a direct and negative impact on older people with mobility
issues - 45% of those 70 and over have a long term limiting illness.
In addition, many older people particularly in rural areas lack a
regular bus service."
Help the Aged is very concerned that the £212 million earmarked for
the national bus pass will not be enough to ensure all older people
benefit from travel concessions.
This must be addressed so that lack
of suitable local transport doesn’t leave people isolated. Let us know
what you think by
emailing the Southport Reporter newsroom at
news24@southportreporter.com or via
Skype. |
