No golden handshakes for the young and restless

SOUTH African workers no longer hanker after longservice awards to be worn as badges of honour.

The latest Deloitte Millennial survey found that 66% of the world’s young workers are expected to switch jobs within the next five years.

In South Africa the figure is significantly higher, at 76%.

In all, 7 700 participants from 29 countries including South Africa were interviewed by international auditing firm Deloitte.

Millennials — those born after 1982 — represent an increasing share of the workforce. They express little loyalty to their employers and many have short-term exit plans.

Most believe that businesses “have no ambition beyond profit”.

Given the choice, one in four millennials would quit their job to join a new organisation or do something different.

“It has been widely reported that millennials are generally impatient for promotion, dependent on praise, shocked by criticism and — in the minds of older generations — not prepared to make the effort required for career success,” said Deloitte.

The survey also revealed that pay and financial benefits drove young talent’s choice of employ- er, followed by balance between work and personal lives as well as opportunities to ascend the corporate ladder.

The lure of a better salary and an opportunity to hone her skills propelled Durbanite Yosheen Govender to quit her job as brand manager for a more lucrative position as marketing manager in the manufacturing industry.

“It was a step up for me. Also there’s the higher salary and the chance to enhance my skills,” said Govender, 34.

Roxanne Dallas, MD of Mass Staffing Projects in Cape Town, said: “The majority of the workplace is now made up of Generation Y.

“Members of this generation, in stark contrast to the generation before it, express little loyalty to current employers and many are planning nearterm exits.”

Dallas said people usually quit their jobs because they felt underutilised and underdeveloped.

Port Elizabeth-based Amita Slabbert of recruitment company Drake International said sectors “that see the largest number of resignations are those who don’t make employee engagement and retention priorities. This would ensure employees are fully engaged, excited and on some sort of learning curve that keeps them motivated and committed.” STEP UP: Durban marketing manager Yosheen Govender

They are impatient for promotion and shocked by criticism