Mercer: Employer Communication Is Key for Employees

Only 15% of workers who say their companies keep them informed about matters that affect them say they are seriously considering leaving their organization and even fewer (6%) say they are dissatisfied with their organization. However, among those who say their organization does not keep them informed, 41% are thinking about leaving and 42% say they are dissatisfied, according to Mercer Human Resource Consulting’s 2002 People at Work Survey of 2,600 US workers.

The same trends were noticed regarding information assistance necessary to do their jobs and manage their careers. Of those employees who say they have ready access to the information they need, 18% are seriously thinking of leaving and 10% say they are dissatisfied with their organization. Much the same as those workers who say they are provided with the assistance and information required to manage their career, 14% are seriously thinking about leaving and 6% are dissatisfied with their organization.

However, when polling the opposite, among those who do not have ready access to such information, 48% are thinking of leaving and 49% say they are dissatisfied. Likewise among employees who say they do not receive information and assistance in career management, 48% are thinking about leaving and 50% are dissatisfied with their organization.

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Further, it is the quest for information that drives the performance, particularly information that helps workers do their jobs and manage their careers; they also want to know where their organization is heading, the study found. Among employees who say that senior management communicates a clear vision of the future direction of the organization:

• 16% say they are seriously thinking of leaving
• 7% are dissatisfied with their organization
• 6% say they don’t feel a strong sense of commitment.

On the other hand, among employees who say that senior management does not communicate a clear vision of the future direction of the organization:

• 40% say they are seriously thinking of leaving
• 39% are dissatisfied with their organization
• 32% say they don’t feel a strong sense of commitment.

Interestingly, the gaps are not quite as large on some key issues surrounding compensation. Among employees who believe they are paid fairly given their performance and contributions to the organization, 14% are seriously considering leaving and 7% are dissatisfied with their organization. However, among employees who believe they are not paid fairly, only 39% are thinking of leaving and 36% are dissatisfied.