Having trusted internal mentors for employees to turn to for career guidance can be an extremely valuable asset for businesses, particularly when it comes to long-term employee retention and succession planning.
A recent report from Enhancy—based on survey data from 1000 respondents—sheds some light on where employees tend to turn when it comes to career advice. Some of the findings may come as a big surprise to employers, managers and mentors.
Young Employees Trust Their Bosses
The Enhancy report found that 71% of Gen Z workers trust their bosses for career advice, more than any other age group. This is great news for employers, as people managers obviously have a significant influence on their direct reports. Managers who have the trust of their workers are well-positioned to help train and guide the next generation of company leadership.
The Influence of Social Media
Social media is also extremely influential for younger people. It’s also an often overlooked means of reaching and connecting with staff and the broader labor market on the part of employers.
LinkedIn, the most career-focused of the major social media platforms, is unsurprisingly a key source of career advice for Millennials. What is perhaps surprising is that LinkedIn was the most trusted source among Millennials.
LinkedIn wasn’t the only social media tool sought out for career advice, though. While TikTok was the least-trusted overall source of such advice, one quarter of Gen Z respondents said they trust TikTok.
While employers can’t control what employees hear from social media in the way they can when that advice comes from an employee’s boss, they can contribute to what’s on social media and at least be part of the conversation. Additionally, social media is a great way to reach potential employees who otherwise wouldn’t have a direct link to the organization like a current employee would.
Nurturing Internal Mentors
Trusted internal mentors, particularly direct managers, play a crucial role in guiding younger employees and strengthening long-term retention.
However, social media also holds significant sway, especially among Millennials and Gen Z. By actively engaging on platforms like LinkedIn and TikTok, employers can expand their influence, joining the broader conversation around career development and connecting with both current and potential employees in meaningful ways.
Employers have an opportunity to help employees find trusted sources of guidance and counsel, while educating them about both the potential, and potential peril, of sources that aren’t so trustworthy.
Lin Grensing-Pophal is a Contributing Editor at HR Daily Advisor.
The post <strong>Who Do Employees Turn to for Career Advice?</strong> appeared first on HR Daily Advisor.