How to become a true "employer of choice"
By Curt Coffman
What
does the phrase "becoming an employer of choice"
mean? For many organizations, it refers to their
strategies to attract talented employees. And once
an organization has done the hard work of recruiting
top performers, the next step is to figure out how
to keep them.
A few years ago, The Gallup Organization decided to
initiate a multi-year research project to try and
define a great workplace. First, we needed to define
what "great" was. We decided that a great workplace
was one where employees were satisfied with their
jobs. However, it couldn't really be considered
"great" if it didn't produce positive business
outcomes.
Using a technique called meta-analysis, we sifted
through data from approximately 200,000 employees in
36 organizations and across 21 different industries
to find links to five business outcomes: retention,
productivity, profitability, customer loyalty and
safety. We identified 12 questions that most
effectively measured the links (the Gallup Q12). The
results of our research are summarized in the table
below.
Let's focus on the issue of retention. Our analysis
found that retention is strongly related to six of
the Q12 items.
Know
what is expected of me at work
First, do your employees know exactly what is
expected of them? When they walk in the door
everyday, can they measure their progress against
well-defined goals? If they can't, they may never
have a sense of achievement in their role. If
expectations are unclear, employees will inevitably
face frustration, and will be open for other
opportunities where they do know what's expected of
them, and where their contributions are measured and
recognized.
Materials and equipment
Do you supply the right tools to support the skills,
experience and talents of your employees? Even Tiger
Woods would find it difficult to get the ball close
to the green with a sand wedge from 270 yards. He
obviously has the talent, but he would not have the
right tools. Similarly, your employees need the
right tools and equipment to perform their jobs at
an optimum level.
Do what
I do best every day
Are your employees cast in the right roles? Just
because an individual is gifted in a particular
area, it does not mean he has a full array of
talents for any and every role. Big talent sometimes
is very specialized and narrow, and knowing each
employee's boundaries and limitations is key to
avoiding burnout. For example, if an individual is
an excellent speaker, do you also assume she is a
great teacher? Some individuals do combine both
these abilities, but the performance demands for
these roles are very different. Knowing the critical
demands for every role is a key to ensuring that
talents fit those demands.
Supervisor/Someone at work cares
Do your valued employees know that someone at work
cares about them -- preferably their manager or
supervisor? If they don't, your company will find it
difficult to retain them. Your employees'
relationship with their manager or supervisor is
critical in turning talent into lasting performance
and excellence. In addition, is there an ongoing
dialogue and solid communication with your best
employees? Do your managers spend most of their time
with their most productive talent? Many managers
give their greatest degree of attention to employees
who are falling behind. Talented, productive people
crave time and attention from their managers, and
will leave your company if they have a weak
relationship (or no relationship) with their manager
or supervisor.
Co-workers committed to quality
Do you
surround your stars with other individuals who are
constantly driving standards of quality to a higher
level? Many companies arbitrarily put teams together
without considering that employees only
psychologically commit to teams if they perceive
their team members will support their high level of
commitment and performance. Talented employees set
high standards and depend upon those around them to
support their growth toward excellence.
Opportunities to learn and grow
Does
your company create an environment that encourages
employees to drive towards innovation or to create
better systems for more productive results? Talented
employees need to be "stretched" in just the right
ways to fully engage them. We all need to look back
and see that we are truly progressing and learning,
and that we're achieving new levels of personal and
professional growth. Great managers always ask what
skills and knowledge need to accompany talent to
result in the greatest outcome for each person.
According to our research, there is nothing very
complicated about retaining great talent -- these
six elements are the keys. If you want to keep the
talented employees you recruit, your company must:
-
Be clear about what you expect from your employees
-
Provide employees with the materials and equipment they need to perform their jobs
-
Give employees opportunities to do what they do best, every day
-
Ensure that your employees have a manager or supervisor who cares about them
-
Surround talented employees with co-workers who have a similar drive for quality
-
Provide opportunities for employees to learn and grow
Companies who can do these things will be successful in keeping their most talented employees. Those who cannot will continue to bleed talent, and their quest to become an "employer of choice" will continue to be hazardous to their health.
