BECOME AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE: FIND AND KEEP GREAT EMPLOYEES
by Diane Herbert and Pamela Millard
Make your agency attractive to quality employees.
Great employees look for great places to work; and in today’s labor market the best and the brightest will have their choice of employers. This holds true even in these uncertain times. Naturally, there is the “working wounded,” many of whom are excellent employees. But keep in mind that downsizing companies are making a concerted effort to keep their top performers. In addition, during the next eight to ten years, more than 20 million people will be needed to replace today’s aging Baby Boomers who will begin to leave the workplace. As a result, competition for good employees is going to get tougher, not easier. It’s critical to create an environment where great people want to work.
The best way to do this is to give employees what they need.
Just what are they looking for? Contrary to what employers might think, it isn’t just money. In fact, competing for great employees on price alone is a trap. Finding and retaining great employees involves more than just competitive wages. It requires being an “Employer of Choice.”
HOW CAN I TELL IF MYAGENCY IS AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE?
Ask. We’ve been conducting employee satisfaction surveys for agencies across the nation. By looking at our survey results it’s easy to see the attributes that define Employers of Choice. Ask your employees how well you’re doing in meeting their needs. Then compare those results with how well others are doing.
TOOLS TO DO THE JOB
Employers of Choice understand that even the best people can’t overcome inadequate systems and procedures that perpetuate duplication and errors. They know the right infrastructure must be in place to allow employees to maximize their contributions to the organization.
There are basic tools that employees need to do their jobs: They need to know what their job is and how it should be performed, as well as regular feedback on how well they’re doing.
They also need standard procedures. Although most respondents set standard operating procedures in their agencies only about half as many report that procedures are in writing and available to all.
Perhaps more startling, when asked to rank how consistently people follow procedures, employees gave an average rank of only 5.7 out of 10. The good news: results are much better for Employers of Choice, the agencies that rank in the top 20% of our surveys.
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
Employers of Choice take a strategic approach to training, offering employees an intellectual challenge and the opportunity to grow. As employees grow, they become even more valuable to the business. Most agencies provide training to meet continuing education requirements. Few go beyond that. On average only 27% of employees state that there’s a formal training program in their agencies and less than half of those believe that it’s effective. Our Employers of Choice get far better results, with 52% stating their agencies provide effective training for new employees.
RECOGNITION AND REWARDS
Employers of Choice understand that rewards come in many forms, and that employees respond based on their own values and priorities. Although salary isn’t the only way to recognize achievement, employees need to feel that their pay is fair.
In our surveys, 52% of the respondents think they’re paid fairly for the work they do. The result is significantly higher for our Employers of Choice. Are Employers of Choice paying their employees more? Not necessarily. Our research indicates that they do a better job of making sure the rewards are commensurate with the knowledge, skill, and efforts of their employees.
OPEN AND HONEST COMMUNICATION
Employers of Choice practice communication that’s top down, bottom up, and side to side. They make sure the right things are being communicated to the right people in the right ways. They recognize that employees who have information about the goals and results of the agency are far more likely to connect with their jobs in ways that really matter to the customer. Employees who work for the best agencies report that they’re more likely to get the information they need.
CONNECTED WORK ENVIRONMENT
Employers of Choice support employees’ needs to balance their personal and business lives. When this occurs, the success of the organization becomes personal.
In the best agencies, every employee feels that management cares about them. They also get high marks for soliciting feedback and input from employees all part of maintaining a connected environment in which everyone wants to contribute to the success of the organization.
SATISFIED EMPLOYEES = SATISFIED CUSTOMERS
Perhaps the ultimate criterion of an Employer of Choice is whether employees want friends and family working with them. These are your advocates. They help you recruit more great employees and keep your good customers. Virtually all employees in the top agencies in our surveys reported that they would recommend their agency as a good place to work.
HOW CAN I BECOME AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE?
Follow these four steps:
Step 1: Take the pulse of your agency. Survey employees. Ask how well you’re meeting the criteria for an Employer of Choice. You can design your own survey or obtain samples from a variety of sources, including the Internet. For a free survey form, give us a call and well mail a copy to you, or download the form from www.transformationadvisors.com/employee_satisfaction_survey.htm. If you conduct your own survey, be sure to protect employee confidentiality. Whether out of concern for their jobs or a desire to spare your feelings, employees need to feel safe giving you honest feedback. If this is an issue for your agency (or if you don’t have the internal resources to develop, conduct, and analyze the survey) get outside help.
Step 2: Analyze the results. Look at your results in comparison with where you think you ought to be, as well as with the results of other agencies. You’ll probably find strengths that shine through, together with an opportunity area or two.
Step 3: Identity key objectives and develop an action plan. Put a plan in place to address the results of the survey. Build on your strengths. Look for ways to eliminate, or at least mitigate, your weaknesses.
Step 4: Monitor progress. Periodically review the progress you’ve made in reaching your objectives. You might want to re-survey your employees in a year or so, but only if you’ve taken positive steps toresolve the issues previously identified.
The results will more than justify your “people investment.”
Diane Herbert and Pamela Millard are partners in Transformation Advisors, a client-focused management consulting firm. You can contact Herbert at (941) 393-0758, Millard at (530) 295-1083, or either of them at www.transformationadvisors.com.