Inc.
Four Million Workers Quit in June. Here's What Businesses Are Doing to Get Better Career Matches
By: Kevin J Ryan
Millions of workers aren't satisfied with their jobs, so companies are turning to new tools to find the right talent.
Only 7 percent of workers say they are in their dream career, according to a new survey from customer service firm Moneypenny. Nineteen percent of respondents admitted to being unhappy in their current role, while another 27 percent said they're neither unhappy nor happy--meaning they're probably open to outside offers.
Combine that with a record 10 million job openings in the U.S., and you have a recipe for mass resignation. Nearly four million people left their roles in June alone, one of the highest numbers ever recorded.
The data points to one of the major struggles in hiring: Finding people who not only have the right experience for the job, but also the right personalities and soft skills. And finding workers who want to stick around is critical, since losing an employee can cost up to twice that person's salary in lost time and productivity.
To solve that issue, businesses are turning to new techniques to help them find hires who are less likely to bolt. Scoutible, a San Francisco-based hiring startup, creates a video game that employers can use to measure a candidate's traits. The company's software analyzes the decisions participants make during gameplay to determine whether that candidate might be compatible. Amsterdam-based Harver makes a cultural fit assessment tool that's used by companies like Netflix and Heineken. And ThriveMap makes tools that can help determine whether a hire will fit in on your team.
Companies can also improve their chances of retaining talent--especially young talent--by giving them what they want: meaningful work, caring bosses, and, of course, better pay and benefits.
According to the results of Moneypenny's survey, the industries that have the unhappiest employees are energy and utilities, public services, and law enforcement, while those with the happiest employees included IT, banking, and education. The company surveyed 2,000 adults in July.
