The Career Report
Its place in business and responsible employment
Introduction
The Shadowmatch Career Report is live, and it is very well received in the market. For various reasons, the idea that the value of the Career Report is limited to the individual who is either at the beginning of a career path or at a point of wanting to make a career change, can be understood. That is the traditional perspective on career coaching. The Shadowmatch Team wants to redefine and expand this traditional view. The aim of this very short publication is to help our business clients understand the ways in which the Career Report can play an active role to assist in the success of employees, their productivity and wellness at work. The result of successful employees, who are productive and happy is a successful business that grows.
Use of the Career Report
Herewith a very short outline of how the Career Report can be used to benefit the business as a very efficient investment into the lives of employees.
1. In-Position Agility. This is a term we use to describe a specific career process. It is a process whereby the individual stays in the same job/position they hold, but adapts the way they engage the workplace, work content, outcomes and people. These are small changes that redefine the way a person experiences the working environment. The Career Report is perfect for an in-position discussion (a book to read is Tiny Habits by BJ Fog. 2019).
2. In-company Career Adaptation. In most businesses, even the smaller companies, employees are very seldom stuck in one working environment with one final job and zero opportunities to grow. Many people resign because companies do not allow for growth, learning, development and a change of work content, business engagement and a change of the job where they are assigned to. Once a person understands their Career Report, redirecting their career within the company becomes a very possible and meaningful process.
3. In-Career Agility. This term refers to a specific process of career redirection without the need to be re-skilled and re-trained. This is for individuals who want to change their career context but not their career content, knowledge and experience.
4. Career Restructuring. In short, this is for people who are just fed-up with the work they are doing, and they feel a strong need to start all over with something new, different and more rewarding. A competent HR office should be able to help these individuals in a practical and fulfilling manner by using the Shadowmatch Career Report. It should be seen as a complete career restart.
5. Bursaries and further Studies. Companies that invest in training bursaries of a sort cannot afford to pay for students who want to study without knowing that they’ve done everything they can to ensure success. The Career Report and Career-Match-Test is a powerful tool in this process. 6. Routine Career Development Coaching. This must be part of every business who wants to be a responsible employer. The notion that ‘all people work just for the sake of having a job’ is outdated and not in the interest of building a strong and healthy workforce. Ongoing development of employees and progressive career coaching must be part of the normal HR function of the business. The Shadowmatch Career Report could be an active part of this process.
7. Career-Match-Testing. This is a first in the world application. The current and potential future work position that an individual may fill can be tested against critical habits of the person to determine fit and potential hidden frustrations that could compromise the success of the individual.
8. Excruiting. This is a new term the Shadowmatch Team wants to introduce to the future workplace. With this we refer to the process of helping people who are in a job in an organisation which doesn’t work for them and for the organisation to assist in finding an optimal alternative at a new employer. The Career Report plays a critical role in this process.
9. Retirements. It is general knowledge that the financial retirement system is not strong enough to carry retired people for a longer life expectancy, as the case of longevity is unfolding. People can no longer retire and live on a pension for thirty years. They have to restart. The Career Report can play a critical role when the responsible employer helps the retiring employees to think progressively about the possibility of an extended career.
10. Retrenchments and Restructuring. This is the dark side of employment. The day a company has to retrench people for whatever reason. The opinion remains that it is and will always be a messy, hurtful and hostile process. We can change this, and we must change this. It should be turned into a progressive opportunity building process with best-for-all outcomes in the best-interest-of-all parties. A future career coaching process built around the facts and the positive input from the Shadowmatch Career Report is part of a new way of dealing with this very unfortunate situation.
This brief outline is to help build a better culture of employment; to improve on current practices and to enhance existing good practices. If you need further information, please email the Shadowmatch Team at info@shadowmatch.co.za
"One of the noblest things that you can achieve in life is to provide someone with a decent job, under decent working conditions and a decent income."
Pieter de Villiers
May 2020
Industry 4 will create many jobs and opportunities! BUT….these jobs will be different and fall into four main categories. If you have missed the insightful Industry 4 webinar by Pieter de Villiers, you can watch it here now.