Overqualified employees must WANT a new role that they could see as below them, that means HR has to work extra hard to keep them from leaving fro competition.. A recent article from CNBC revealed that there is more than one way of keeping an overqualified employee happy and, therefore, less likely to jump ship.
Berrin Erdogan, Professor of Management at Portland State University, explained them in an ‘Ask Me Anything’ thread on Reddit. She wrote: “Those who are objectively over-educated for their jobs also are likely to change jobs more quickly. “There is a positive correlation between perceived over qualification and turnover intentions. This could be because they are bored but also because they have the qualifications to actually leave.
“You get more skills, but someone who is more of a flight risk. My own research, as well as that of others, also has shown that there are conditions under which feelings of over qualification do not translate into higher turnover.” CNBC also reported on what Erdogan suggested in order to keep your most valuable assets in the office and avoid a hiring spree. HR Grapevine have given their 3 ways to keep over qualified employees happy.
1. Empowerment
If you want a good employee to stick around, then give them a say in how the business is run. If they feel like they have a voice and that their opinions and suggestions are valued, then they will be more likely to stay with you.
“We found that empowerment plays the role of a buffer. When employees have autonomy, and when they feel that they have the ability to influence their work environment (rather than being expected to take a passive, cog-in-a-machine approach to work), their turnover rate is no different from others,” commented Erdogan.
2. Appreciation
Any HR professional worth their salt knows the value of recognition. There are varying opinions on how best to reward employees – be it through monetary bonuses or simply a pat on the back and a heart-felt ‘thank you’ – but one thing everyone can acquiesce to is that appreciating your workers is a very good way of instilling loyalty.
“Not a lot of research on this, but scholars often talk about having choice in the matter as a contingency of whether feeling overqualified will be problematic or not,” said Erdogan. “For example, if the person willingly goes into a situation due to a desire to spend more time with family or reduce stress inherent in their jobs, the outcome is different for them.”
3. Talented co-workers
Finally, Erdogan suggested that an employee who works alongside similarly talented colleagues is more likely to stay with the company – even if they know that they are overqualified. By working alongside other top people, they will feel more at home and more productive in general.
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