Inbox: Matching values

The call has gone out for employers to be smarter and provide senior staff with innovative ways to develop their careers.
“Employers need to ensure their managers are better equipped with the skills and resources to lead and deliver results,” says Gillian Peacock, specialist in advising organisations on people and capability best practice. “Employers are wanting and valuing real capability but there is need to invest in individual talent at senior level to enhance business performance. Development through coaching is way to both reward and retain good senior employees.”
One key area for employers to invest is in the government sector in Wellington where departments need to change and respond to the well-publicised Better Public Sector goals.
“Employees are certainly demanding development,” says Peacock. “Younger people in particular want development earlier than ever before. Careers are not linear, people want opportunities to develop and grow their skills.”
Peacock notes that both employers and employees are expected to demonstrate good values. When an employee performs with integrity and delivers outcomes for an organisation, the employer is more likely to invest in programmes for the benefit of the employee. If the employee thinks an employer’s values do not match their own, they are more likely to move on to better fit.
She says job-seeking candidates are becoming more cautious about changing roles, looking for ways to enhance their capability within their current roles, and employers want to see outcomes and real delivery on their people investment.
Peacock, who has been appointed to the newly-opened Wellington office of executive development and coach training company ilume, has over 10 years’ experience in senior management and consulting roles, most recently as national people and capability manager, and volunteer development project manager, New Zealand Red Cross. She was also senior advisor, capability and development, for Sport and Recreation New Zealand.
She played significant role as an active member of the taskforce team for the Red Cross response to the Canterbury earthquakes and Pike River mine explosion. She is also currently chair of Volunteering New Zealand.
Peacock has advised number of organisations and individuals on recruitment, leadership development, coaching, and organisational and change management. M