| In today's workplace a high performance culture | | | | discovered that the printer printing running off the |
| requires high maintenance and people issues are at the | | | | delivery notes wasn't powerful enough to penetrate |
| top of most CEO's to-do lists. But what does it take to | | | | the multi-layer delivery notes sheets and the driver's |
| build a utopia? | | | | copy was barely legible, so i. It pays to talk to your |
| A large number of my friends and peers look puzzled | | | | people. |
| when I volunteer that I love my job. I don't just look | | | | Third is inspiring leadership and individual autonomy - |
| forward to returning to work on Monday mornings, it's | | | | the two can and should go hand in hand. Empowered |
| more than that. I am inspired by the people, committed | | | | people inspired by the organisation's vision embodied |
| to the organisation and connected to my role; I am an | | | | by the CEO and leadership team create their own high |
| engaged employee. In HR speak I apply discretionary | | | | performance culture. |
| effort, and when this happens everyone's happy. | | | | Fourth is a fair financial package; you don't have to be |
| Happy people equal happy profits - and in a nutshell | | | | the best payer on the block in the same way that |
| that's what they teach you at business school now. | | | | your product doesn't have to be the cheapest. We'll |
| The same friends then go into total shock when they | | | | happily pay more for a pleasurable brand experience |
| find out that I turned down another role paying nearly | | | | at the shops and will happily earn less for a |
| $20k a year more for the one I have now. So what | | | | pleasurable work experience. |
| did my current employer do to woo me? How did their | | | | In the war for talent ; anything goes to attract and |
| employer brand get me? | | | | retain great people. Google now lets its workforce |
| Employee engagement, what just a few years ago | | | | spend 20% of their time doing anything they want - |
| was conference lingo and a phrase bandied around by | | | | which has in turn led to the development of projects |
| hip CEOs has fast become the holy grail of | | | | like AdSense and Google News. St George offers |
| organisational success. What use is are a strategy and | | | | employees the opportunity to work for four years and |
| a plan without the right group of motivated people to | | | | take year five off with an income. |
| get you there? | | | | Non-monetary benefits including evermore innovative |
| Engaged employees mean high performance. In an | | | | reward and recognition programs are an increasingly |
| age where perception is reality; engaged employees | | | | important part of an employer's armoury to get the |
| are around three times more likely to believe that they | | | | right people into the right seats and keep them there. |
| can have a positive impact on product quality, | | | | There is also a growing bank of evidence to show |
| customer service and costs. The emotional bonds that | | | | that non-cash incentive programs improve |
| an engaged workforce develops means 'above and | | | | performance more effectively. John Anderson, CEO |
| beyond', the discretionary effort the HR boffins refer | | | | of Gorman's Business Interiors in Detroit, created |
| to, becominges part and parcel of every working day. | | | | Gormanopoly, a monopoly like game that incentivized |
| The pay-offs are mutual; work becomes pleasurable, | | | | just about everything and awarded points to teams; at |
| more productive and more profitable. | | | | the end of the first year all three teams had enough |
| In turn our willingness to recommend our employer as | | | | points to send every member of staff and a guest on |
| a place company to do business with regardless of | | | | a Carribean cruise costing over $32,000USD. "Not only |
| what it sells or does, or as a great place to work | | | | was it good for the organisation, it got us good PR |
| sky-rockets. | | | | without a lot of promotion, customers got engaged in it |
| What conditions do we need to become and remain | | | | and learned about our culture, and it was a great |
| engaged? | | | | recruiting tool too," reports Anderson. A recent study |
| Firstly, is a flexible and friendly environment that caters | | | | by the University of Chicago reported increases in |
| for your demographic. This might mean work from | | | | productivity of over 38% against cash based incentive |
| home for those that prefer peace and quiet for a | | | | programs mediocre 14.6%. |
| couple of days a week or have childcare | | | | What keeps me in my seat? It's culture more than |
| commitments, hours to suit (within the context of the | | | | anything else. |
| businesses' needs of course) and an at-work | | | | Getting the best return on investment from your |
| environment with break-out areas and even a Wii or | | | | employer brand budget is not an easy task and |
| PSP if you're high on the GenY count. | | | | personalising rewards and recognition is even harder. |
| Second is the right resources to get the job the done; | | | | Investing in culture is achievable by investing in |
| not everyone wants the same desk, chair, or PC, so | | | | relationships. Shared experiences produce relationships, |
| where budgets and health and safety will allow, letting | | | | they generate conversations, create memories and |
| your people create their home away from home, and | | | | build emotional bonds; t, they are the currency of |
| provide opportunities for everyone to give feedback | | | | making dreams come true. |
| as to what's stopping them at work. Big problems | | | | An employer that makes dreams come true.....we might |
| needn't always cost big bucks. I'm reminded of the | | | | not all become millionaires but a few hundred dollars on |
| story where management consultants were drafted | | | | an experience of a lifetime is definitely one more good |
| into a logistics firm to work out why so many deliveries | | | | reason to stay. |
| were made late or going to the wrong address. They | | | | |