Like most American businesses you probably would like a quick fix, an easy elixir, a sure-fired solution to employee turnover, finding the best AND keeping them, creating a rewarding and resilient place to work, and along the way making some profit. It is easy to hope for solutions, but then hope isn’t a strategy. So how do those organizations that get named to one of the “best places to work” lists do it?
I have not made a study of the companies that have been named to these lists, but I can pretty safely bet that at the core they all share some common components. Of course, these components will look a bit different, take on a different flavor, play out differently from company to company, but at the heart of all of them I suspect they each share a few common ingredients. Among these are:
Core Values – They each know the principles and values upon which they are building a solid foundation. They know and talk about what they expect from their leadership and their employees. Underpinning the behaviors of such companies are the principles of respect, trust, service-delivery, community citizenship, and
recognition and reward.
Goals – Goals are defined, shared and results tracked. Everyone knows what they are striving for, how it will help the company and themselves. Results are monitored, rewarded and reinforced universally.
Human Capital – Human capital is managed as seriously as the organizations financial capital. Finding, employing and keeping the right talent and fit for the necessary roles within the company impacts every companies ability to service it’s clients and realize a profit. One client I had a few years ago had 100% turnover…and they wondered how they could become more profitable! The revolving door of employees seriously erodes corporate culture and performance. Dissatisfaction breeds unhappiness so managing human capital with intent and skill is the keystone to corporate profits.
Communication and Listening – Everyone listens and shares information with the intent to understand and to gain understanding before offering a rebuttal. Teamwork,
collaboration, trust, respect and workplace satisfaction cannot be optimized without focused individual attention to communicating effectively.
Community – Everyone has a sense of community, of caring, and of being cared for. A sense of community in the workplace goes way back to the Hawthorne studies in 1933. The more we believe people care about us and care for us the more we reciprocate and contribute. Profits, robust culture, wanting to be at work all suffer if a sense of community is absent in the workplace. It’s the common bond that binds and allows profitability to grow.
Leadership – Leading by example is the simplest way to explain what people expect. If leaders themselves exemplify what they expect of their followers, leadership is much easier. You don’t learn to be a leader by following some B-school set of books or formulas. You learn to lead by simply living the example of what you expect of
your employees and what you see demonstrated by leaders you yourself admire.
Of course, the intent of every business owner is to build a successful organization and of course they want low turnover and few personnel issues because dealing withthe soft stuff is always the hard stuff. I know the ingredients I’ve listed are core to being the best, but what is so rewarding is to see it play out before your very eyes in a
company you know first hand. At this point I have to stop and brag a second. What caused me to write on this particular topic was something that happened to my son’s company. Actually, it is a company co-founded by my husband and son. Peaksware, LLC was named as one of America’s Best Places to Work buy Outside Magazine.
Thank you for letting me brag just a bit.
If you have built it and they are coming, but not staying you might examine this short list above to identify what’s missing. Why are people leaving? While sometimes people leave for more money, often it is because they don’t find the sense of community, engagement, and enrichment they need in order to grow, thrive and contribute fully.
For info on new programs browse http://www.peakperformancecorp.com or call me at 480-236-4266.
Joyce Friel
Peak Performance Consulting
11353 E. Raintree Drive
Scottsdale, AZ 85255
480 236 4266
www.peakperformancecorp.com
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