One-third of employees feel underutilized at work
POC and women are especially likely to say they have more to offer.
Minority and female employees feel like their employers aren’t doing enough to utilize their full potential, according to a study released March 5 by Gloat. Over a third or workers say their company isn’t giving them the opportunity to shine, a share that increases to 46% among Black workers and 38% of Latino and Latina workers. Women were nearly twice as likely as men to say their skills were undervalued (43% versus 24%).
Related: Study: 95 years needed for Black workers to reach talent parity
This dissatisfaction can become a problem for employers when workers decide to take their skills elsewhere, something 64% of employees say they’re thinking about doing. The top five reasons for leaving show that workers aren’t focused on extrinsic motivations.
- Lack of opportunity for growth
- Want a change or to do something new
- Unsatisfied with compensation or benefits
- Feeling underappreciated
- Feeling pigeonholed or stuck in their position
Gloat found women’s representation within companies isn’t in line with their representation in the general population. Although women account for half of the U.S. population and more than 58% of the civilian workforce, according to the Census Bureau, Gloat found 82% of women were consigned to entry-level, associate or specialist roles within their companies. Just 12% of managers and 2% of executives were women.
“As employers continue to place much-needed emphasis on the value of an inclusive workplace, it’s critical that their female employees feel valued and see room for advancement if we are to keep them in the workforce,” Gloat CEO Ben Reuveni said in a statement.
Almost half of respondents said they wish their employer had a better understanding of their skills, and 43% are interested in branching out and working on projects outside their specific job description. Women in particular expressed a strong interest in working with a mentor.
Related: Using mentoring to build your business and yourself – with Tom Loarie
Reuveni urged employers to use technology to create more opportunities for their employees.
“Gloat’s platform can help. It creates an internal talent marketplace where employees can explore new opportunities to work on projects, learn new skills, establish mentorships and grow within an organization. By democratizing career development and creating an open talent marketplace, we’ve seen Gloat really impact the opportunities for women to grow within the organizations across our customer base.”
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