Employees seek the skills to thrive in a global workplace
A majority of Hungarian workers feel the experience they gain in a globally oriented workplace will be important to their careers, according to the latest findings from an international workplace survey. However, many believethey are not being adequately prepared to work with varied nationalities and cultures.
The survey, by global workforce solutions leader Kelly Services, finds that Gen Y (aged 18-29) is driving the trend toward globalization. Gen Y, along with Gen X (aged 30-47), also feel more confident about working in a multinational environment than their older baby boomer (aged 48-65) colleagues.
In deciding where to work, the opportunity for exposure to international skills or a globalized workplace is becoming more desirable, especially for younger workers. Yet many employees do not receive formal support from their employers, like cultural or language training, that would help them develop the expertise needed to thrive in a global setting.
The Kelly Global Workforce Index obtained the views of more than 90,000 people in 33 countries, including more than 5,000 across Hungary.
"As business becomes more global, workers at every level are recognizing career advantage in their exposure to the language, culture and protocols that characterize cross-border engagement," said Anikó Jónás, Managing Director of Kelly Services Hungary Ltd. “A hallmark of international business and commerce today is to work collaboratively in global teams, and this trend is growing.”
Amongst the key findings of the survey in Hungary:
- 71 percent of Gen Y believe it is important to their career prospects that they become more globally oriented, followed by Gen X (56 percent) and baby boomers (43 percent).
- 61 percent of Gen Y have recently experienced working closely with colleagues from a different country or culture, followed by Gen X (59 percent) and baby boomers (41 percent).
- A total of 64 percent feel that they possess the skills to work in a more globally oriented workplace.
- In deciding where to work, exposure to a global environment is considered “extremely important” by 30 percent of Gen Y, 24 percent of Gen X and 19 percent of baby boomers.
- Only 45 percent of Gen Y receive formal cross-cultural or language training from their employer, followed by Gen X (38 percent) and baby boomers (28 percent).
The desire for more globally oriented work experience reflects the pace of globalization in many businesses today, as more individuals take on more cross-cultural responsibility in their day-to-day work experience.
“Rapid economic advancement in developing economies will lead many more skilled employees to seek international opportunities, and those workers will be very attractive to employers no matter where in the world they are located. It could potentially transform industries where standard practices allow employers to tap into a vast global talent pool, in such areas as engineering, science, finance and healthcare.
“For employees, many recognize that global expertise is becoming an essential part of their career armoury, and that exposure to a multinational environment has become a more critical factor in their deciding where to work,”Anikó Jónásconcluded.
About the Kelly Global Workforce Index
The Kelly Global Workforce Index is a survey revealing opinions about work and the workplace from a generational viewpoint. Results of the current findings from across Kelly’s global operations in North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific will be published throughout 2009 in a series of six releases.
About Kelly Services
Kelly Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: KELYA, KELYB) is a world leader in workforce management services and human resources solutions. Kelly offers a comprehensive array of temporary staffing, permanent placement, outsourcing, and consulting services. Kelly serves clients around the globe and provides employment to 650,000 employees annually. Revenue in 2008 was $5.5 billion. Visit www.kellyservices.com.
Media contact:
Anikó Jónás
Managing Director
Tel: 061-354-2770
E-mail: ajonas@kellyservices.hu