In several weeks, many of us will be making New Year’s resolutions. Year-end tasks are being completed at many organizations, and employees are being checked off as having a “naughty” or “nice” year.
Along with the New Year comes renewed optimism and enthusiasm. But with it also comes surprises, both good and bad.
What we have learned over the past several years is that business as usual is not working. The prolonged environment of uncertainty and fear has produces a paralyzing economic quagmire.
Too many organizations are on cruise control, watching the business climate with plans to re-enter the game when conditions are more favorable. Unfortunately, when businesses go through the motions, no one moves forward.
If your business has been stuck in neutral, consider some changes that may have dramatic, positive effects on your results.
If you can agree that your top people drive most of your business results, maybe it’s time to expand the number of top people on your team and transition the poor performers out of the organization. And, if you want to attract more top people and keep the ones you already have, consider some initiatives that will support that endeavor, especially if you have a traditional HR setup.
Here are some ideas that have been proven to support the attraction and retention of people who can drive business results in the upcoming year, which is predicted to be nearly as flat as 2011.
Talk with your top people. You already employ the best consultants for your business. Ask your top performers about your workplace practices, programs, compensation and benefits. What they have to say may shock you, and what they ask for may suggest significant changes to how you hire and employ people.
Make a decision. Your organization’s leadership should decide if it is prepared to drive and embrace the concept of only hiring and keeping above-average performers. Remember, this is a process and not an initiative that happens overnight. But if supported, it will yield a very different looking workforce in just a few years. Your top people will be ecstatic that you are embarking on this mission, and the poor performers will either enhance their performance or be weeded out over time.
Eliminate policies. Top people typically do not like bureaucracy, policies or being treated like a child. Unfortunately, too many organizations still retain policies that frustrate top performers. Traditional “use it or lose it” paid time off, bereavement and probationary periods are examples of polices that are archaic and nonsensical to your superstars. So why are you making them live with these programs?
Make it over. Take a walk around your facilities including your reception area, restrooms, employee dining areas and parking lot. Are you proud of the surroundings, or are they as outdated as your HR policies? If battleship gray has graced your walls for years, consider new coats of paint that do not match the typical winter skies of Northeast Ohio. And check out employee work areas. Would you want to work in their areas eight to 10 hours per day? There are great upgrades to physical work environments that are not prohibitively expensive. The investment you make will have a dramatic effect on your staff.
Well, OK then. If you have been waffling on a wellness program for your employees (no, that doesn’t count as exercise), 2012 can be the year you commit. Wellness and health education is not a fad. These programs work well for your employees and your bottom line. It can be as simple as a walking program at lunch, health risk assessments, getting rid of the junk in your vending machines and/or offering occasional health tips. It does not need to be a full-blown program to be effective. Regardless of what you do, optional wellness programs made available to your staff are appreciated and utilized, and the results can be impressive. And, you might even save a life.
Don’t manage. Traditional management does not fly with top-performing employees. Coach and lead rather than manage. If you have leaders in your organization who are traditional carrot-and-stick managers, change may be in order. This may be a very tough challenge, as you will be asking some of your top executives to operate differently. Top performer acquisition and retention starts from the top. If it does not, expect anemic results.
The upcoming year already is filled with exciting possibilities for your organization. Consider some of these concepts, and perhaps try them out for a year. You will have nothing to lose except some poor performers.