Employing Metrics in HR Management

It is reasonable to expect that employees at the beginning of their career will be less satisfied and engaged than those approaching the end of theirs. Or similarly, older employees would be more successful and thus more engaged than younger employees. Apart from success, there are other factors that could in theory influence engagement levels. However, research conducted by Gallup suggests that, while there is some merit to this hypothesis of improved job satisfaction with age, the improvement in satisfaction levels is marginal at best. Furthermore, research recently conducted by Antilles Economics and Blueprint Creative for Barbados confirms that, on aggregate, employee engagement does not appear to improve notably with age.

A company’s human resources is arguably its greatest asset. In order to get the most out of its physical assets, both in terms of output and longevity, a company will invest in maintenance and repair, on a regularly scheduled basis, of these assets. The benefits of training and development accrue ultimately to the organisation, contributing in no small measure to its success, and to the benefit of the customers it serves. This article develops the case for training and developing employees.