“We are losing people much earlier than we should
Column: In the battle for talent, competitive strength and manpower, the financial sector has a blind spot: Far too many lose connection with the sector when life takes an unexpected turn.
Detours are part of life
Finansforbundet has taken a closer look at how various life situations of employees affect their connection to their workplace and working life. The data shows a clear trend: Too many struggle too hard to return to work after periods of, for example, unemployment or illness. This means that moving on after a detour in life often means looking outside the workplace and sector.
Not because of missing skills, but because of missing structures. What’s missing are flexible solutions and a culture that truly supports a modern working life.
The trend is not only observed for illness and unemployment. While maternity and paternity leave per se does not increase dropout rates, especially women tend to return to different job functions because their previous tasks are not available to the same extent. On top of that, we see employees in the sector retiring significantly earlier than in comparable industries, even though the job profiles and skill requirements are similar.
Even the most normal shifts in working life often end up as obstacles rather than stepping stones.
We should be able to do a little better
It shouldn't be like this. As employees of financial services companies, we are part of highly professional organisations with competent management and strong HR functions. All elements that ought to make it easier for us to create personalised gradual withdrawal schemes, part-time jobs, phased return to work and flexi jobs. Not harder.
We talk about agility and adaptability – but we also see a labour market where, increasingly, you have to stay completely healthy, constantly available and fully efficient just to belong.
"Finance employees are used to working hard. To deal with change. To perform efficiently every step of the way.
But detours happen in life – and, inevitably, in our careers too.
That’s why the approach doesn’t work. Neither from a human nor a business perspective.
We need more flexibility and tolerance to make room for more people. This isn’t a special need, but a completely necessary investment.