New research from Mercer suggests organisations are increasingly using career frameworks to more effectively develop, manage and reward talent.
Career frameworks are organisation-wide series of career levels including accountabilities and competencies that guide individual growth. They provide effective rewards management as well as helping to identify paths that prepare employees for more senior roles.
Within the next year, 60 percent of organisations surveyed by Mercer will plan and implement a new career framework. The majority of these organisations (84 percent) are employers that do not have a framework in place already.
Among firms that already have a framework in place, the framework most often supports all or most of the organisation (rather than specific jobs or functions) and is directly linked to talent management and rewards.
Seventy percent of participating organisations reported a connection between career levels and salary bands/grades.
Sixty-four and 60 percent of the organisations surveyed said their career framework drives career pathing and succession planning respectively. A further 50 percent link career frame workers to multiple programmes such as rewards, job titling and performance management.
Career frameworks are an interesting method for ensuring progression of talent is prioritised throughout the organisation. As employees become more likely to jump ship if their contributions are not recognised, putting into place policies that formalise progression is definitely a positive step.
“Career frameworks can be effective in building workforce capabilities that align with the company’s talent management needs,” said Tonushree Mondal, North America Leader for Mercer’s Leadership and Organization Performance practice.
“By connecting frameworks to multiple programs like rewards, performance management, and training and development, employers can identify how much to invest in specific initiatives to achieve the desired level of return.”
Mercer’s survey included responses from more than 420 employers across all industries in the US and Canada.
