Employment Survey in Morocco: Interview with Khadija Boughaba, CEO of Invest RH.

"The value placed on work is important for both young and older people."

1. What are the highlights of this survey?
For Invest RH and its partner Emploi.ma, the objective of this survey is clear: to better understand the attitudes and behaviors of the younger generation at work, beyond the discourse and stereotypes.
Thanks to 3,223 participants, we were able to conduct the first survey in Morocco on this current topic. The results provide very useful insights and a better understanding of young people's relationship with work in Morocco. We are witnessing the emergence of a relationship with work that was previously unknown within our companies in Morocco. Among the highlights:

• Our young people consider work, above all, as a source of personal fulfillment, a means of developing skills, and a source of meaning in life as a priority;
• The optimistic and positive vision of young people towards their work contrasts with the lack of confidence in their company;
• Change as a watchword according to the perspectives of the different targets for 2014;
• The paradox of the statements and feelings expressed on both sides throughout the responses.

Do young and older people share the same view of the world of work?

The difference observed between generations lies in the meaning and new expectations regarding work. While it is considered above all as a source of income for older people, for young people it must arouse individual interest, allow for personal enrichment, and develop their skills. I think this is the main point to remember because this new view of the world of work by young people is underestimated, thinking that it is only the level of remuneration that attracts them.

The second point concerns the way of working, the relationships between colleagues and hierarchy where the younger generation finds itself more in teamwork than in a pyramidal organization.

The third point relates to the new sense of commitment to work where older people had an attachment to their company, young people invest in their work without developing a sense of belonging to their company.



2. So where is the problem?
It may seem paradoxical to seek job stability while having prospects of working less than three years in the same company.
This may explain the expression of concern among young people in the face of the current context of crisis and uncertainty. This feeling of security in a stable job does not deprive young people of the desire to develop quickly and to have visibility on the evolution of their career.

This trend among our young people can be considered a sign of dynamism and awareness of the development of their skills.
These young people are becoming true "entrepreneurs" of their employability.

For companies, they are required to manage this "new life cycle of their employees" in the best conditions for an optimal intersection of individual and collective interests, taking into account the generational data.


Brahim Habriche.

Lavieeco.com

Published January 31, 2014.

Posted online February 5, 2014.