Only one in ten employees define career success as high performance and productivity

A new survey has revealed that only one in ten employees define career success as high performance and productivity, highlighting a gap between employee aspirations and the demands of employers across the globe.The Global Career Aspiration survey, conducted by Right Management, also showed that 45 per cent of employees placed work-life balance as their number one career aspiration and defined workplace success as enjoyment and happiness; prioritising this over annual salary (19 per cent).When asked about their expectations of leadership, 53 per cent of respondents regarded respect for their knowledge and experience as their top expectation. This was closely followed by mutual trust (51 per cent), transparency (37 per cent) and learning and development (32 per cent).In contrast, when questioned about their expectations of colleagues, 59 per cent of employees said mutual trust is the most important, while 48 per cent said respect for their knowledge is their top expectation.The survey also found that 35 per cent of respondents said a desire for work/life balance and higher compensation were the biggest motivators for changing jobs. This was followed by wanting a more challenging role and a different work culture (25 per cent respectively).Mara Swan, global leader of Right Management, said: "High performers have a disproportionate impact on business results."Talent shortages for in-demand skills persist and have caused HR departments worldwide to rethink how they develop and motivate individuals to meet performance goals. To attract and retain top talent, organisations must make development a priority and enable their leaders to mentor employees to expand their skills, capabilities and experience."Virtual College is one of the leading providers of e-learning in the UK. We specialise in a range of online tools designed to help you better manage learning and development in your workplace. For more information, please visit: http://www.virtual-college.co.uk/products/learn-develop.aspx