Almost two-thirds of organizations are looking within their own ranks to identify emerging leaders in today’s competitive job marketplace, according to MRA’s latest Hot Topics Survey.
And 31% of those organizations have seen an increase in employee retention since they began identifying internal emerging leaders. That was according to data collected in the 20-question survey conducted in April by the nonprofit employer association and compiled from data from 233 organizations.
According to MRA’s latest Hot Topic Survey, 62% of those 233 respondents identified emerging leaders to meet the challenges of a competitive job market, changing workforce demographics and developing business needs.
“By investing in developing emerging leaders, organizations can proactively address talent shortages, build a pipeline of capable leaders, and position themselves for success,” said Jim Morgan, vice president, business development and workforce strategies at MRA.
“When done well, an emerging leader program can offer employees an opportunity for growth, development, recognition, relationship building, leadership support, and contribute to their organizational commitment,” added Mitch Thomas, executive director of Moline-based MRA of Western Illinois & Iowa. “All of this can help organizations achieve the goal of improving employee retention.”
Respondents to the April survey listed these top three reasons to identify emerging leaders:
- Career development for high achievers – 86%.
- Succession planning – 81%.
- Maintain their individual culture – 52%.
Identifying emerging leaders can happen organically, MRA reports, but it often requires a systematic approach. Based on survey results, the top five criteria for emerging leaders are:
- High performer – 91%.
- High potential – 90%.
- Demonstrates motivation and desire to grow in their career – 88%.
- Behavior aligns with organizational values – 80%.
- Team player – 80%.
The study also found that 47% of responding organizations would like to launch an emerging leaders program but have not due to a lack of resources. Another 38% said they had not done so due to other priorities, and an additional 38% were unsure of their organization’s emerging leaders strategy.
The recent Hot Topic Survey also identified the following opportunities for growth that employers offer their emerging leaders: external training or classes – 78%; mentoring – 65%; one-on-one meetings – 65%; and cross-training – 64%.
According to the MRA news release, defining what your business needs is important in helping your organization succeed. The competencies employers seek may include communication skills, strategic thinking, adaptability, team building, and decision-making abilities. In addition, the organization said, those traits should align with the organization’s values, culture, and strategic goals.
Additional factors to consider also may include those individuals’ potential for growth, employees who are willing to take on new challenges, their ability to influence others, and their demonstration of leadership behaviors. The criteria should be objective and measurable to ensure fairness and consistency in the identification process, the release said.
To obtain a copy of MRA’s full Emerging Leaders Hot Topic Survey, contact the Surveys Team at (800) 488.4845 ex. 3508, or visit t www.mranet.org and click on the appropriate Hot Topic Survey.
