Are Canadians too highly skilled? For 44% of them, their job is below their skill level, according to a recent Randstad survey.
Are employees overqualified for the level of responsibility entrusted to them by the company? According to the Randstad, survey, which summarizes employees’ responses from 32 countries, this is certainly the feeling of more than four Canadian workers out of ten. In China, some 84% consider themselves underemployed. The same thing is in Turkey, with 78% of people on the job convinced that they are not appreciated, by their assignments, at their true value. The problem resonates at a much lower level in Luxembourg and Denmark, where 23% and 25% of employees respectively share this sentiment.
On the contrary, two Canadians out of ten feel they lack the skills needed to properly carry out their responsibilities. And close to 45% of them consider their colleagues’ level of education is too low to perform their functions in the company. This observation, if based on facts rather than impressions alone, could be detrimental to companies.
A feeling challenged by facts
The study revealed however that 72% of Canadian employees hold a position the matches their field of studies. This is a reassuring figure, which makes it difficult to explain the major contradiction found by Randstad. Since it is only a question of feelings expressed and not of failures documented as a result of disappointing results, the survey’s conclusions appear however to have put the finger on a sensitive subject which is able to affect good cooperation and turnover within firms.
Companies would be encouraged by it to build more on training programs, in order to provide the sense of legitimacy within their ranks.