Renowned Harvard Business School Professor Ethan Bernstein recently visited Australia, where he delivered two exclusive masterclasses to a handpicked audience of professionals in Perth and Sydney as part of the Visagio Transformation Learning Sessions. Professor Bernstein shared valuable insights from his upcoming book, "Job Moves," which applies the Jobs-To-Be-Done Theory to talent management and retention.
During the masterclasses, Professor Bernstein shared his expertise on several key topics, including the importance of developing a compelling Employee Value Proposition (EVP), highly differentiating compensation, and aggressively investing in people’s development to attract and retain top talent. "People who are managing talent feel the pressure, and talents are impatient," he mentioned.
A significant focus was placed on the "Jobs to be Done" theory. "Employees don't just work for companies. They want to make progress in their life,” he shared. Professor Bernstein highlighted that nearly everyone is passively looking for new opportunities, underscoring the need for companies to understand and fulfil the evolving aspirations of their workforce.
Attendees were introduced to a structured nine-step process to navigate career development:
- Identify the catalyst for your latest quest.
- Understand what drives your energy and what you want.
- Catalogue your capabilities by creating a career balance sheet.
- Locate your quest, recognising changes in personal and professional circumstances.
- Prototype and design your future with 3-5 divergent career prototypes.
- Converge on a chosen career path.
- Embrace trade-offs in the job market, focusing on experiences rather than features.
- Craft a compelling career story that aligns with market demands.
- Apply for jobs that align with your aspirations and would support your progress.
Professor Bernstein encouraged organisations to have meaningful conversations with their employees and engage mentors to foster growth and retention.In his concluding remarks, Professor Bernstein stated, "We only fully witness change when we study the human behaviour that emerges as a result of the technology. To retain people, we must create workplaces that cater to their daily growth needs, leveraging both pushes and pulls."
