Futurology no more… staff shortages have definitely begun
in many fields in Canada and Quebec.
It is no longer a secret: burn-out and occupational exhaustion are becoming the
main reason for workplace absenteeism.
Despite these observations, many companies continue to behave exactly as though
they can offer paradise to a chosen few.
Jobs continue to be created, but they are often unstable and poorly paid. Rigid
schedules are maintained, although demands for flexible work hours are
increasingly common. More commitment, more overtime and greater productivity are
required of employees, but without offering them the tools that go with
responsibility. In short, employees are being squeezed dry.
However, many consultants and recruiters can see the writing on the wall. Two
observations are beginning to draw some attention:
First, organizations that take care of the human beings who make them up have a
better chance of survival and are more effective in the long term.
Second, the bottlenecks limiting the success of companies are no longer found at
the level of productivity or professional skills. What is now limiting employees
and, therefore, companies, is the dearth of human aptitudes.
It is easy to develop relatively standardized skills. But those people who will
make a difference possess crucial aptitudes that, until now, have not been
sufficiently recognized as necessary.
For example: those who know how to communicate, to work together, to accept
criticism, to learn from their experiences and transform them into better
practices; those who know themselves, have confidence in themselves and know
what they want.
But these human aptitudes only come to light if they are cultivated. The
challenge currently facing our companies? To take care of human beings and
encourage their development.
