Is Your Organization a Great Place to Work?
By Dea Bridge
 Dorothy Knapp, SPHR, Field Services Director in the Southeast Region for SHRM and based in Vero Beach, Florida, asked the WCHRA audience the above question at the January member program. Additionally, Dorothy presented tools and ideas, not to just survive, but to create environments where sustainability is the culture. As more and more HR professionals are being included in strategic workforce planning, it’s time to make a business case for what we’ve known all along; manage your business by managing your people.
Dorothy stated that SHRM believes the job market will remain basically flat for 2012 and possibly into 2013 based on the slow growth of the United States Gross Domestic Product. The bright side of this prediction is that by 2018 new growth for HR could be in the wind as more companies recognize HR as an employee leader. This gives HR professionals time to plan and implement new strategies under the ongoing mantra of “doing more with less” in an effort to address areas such as succession planning for the millions of Baby Boomers who will soon be exiting the workplace.
Gain an Edge
The latest recession made a big impact on businesses of all shapes and sizes. Does your company have what it takes to compete on a global level? Your initial response may be, “I only do business locally, so why do I need to worry?” Given the techno-revolution that we as a society have catapulted ourselves into, global competition is here whether we like it or not. It’s time to learn who else is vying for your business and your employees, how they are doing it, and how you will meet those challenges head on.
Depending upon what measures your company was forced to take during the economic downturn, you are most likely experiencing some deficit in the area of employee engagement. SHRM discovered that 71% of workers surveyed reported feeling disengaged. Reasons for low engagement can include employees being stressed and distrustful, low salaries, looming lay-offs, limited opportunities for growth and development due to budgetary restrictions, or spoiled reputations of the companies for which they work.
Where to Start?
So where do we begin in recruiting and retaining the best to make our organization a great place to work? Dorothy says the emphasis must be on growing from within. Develop your existing talent in an effort to eliminate the high costs of replacing staff with mentoring programs. Consider designing corporate plans that allow employees to determine their career ladders (modeling after companies like Deloitte, LLP). Examine your current culture and see how you can be more inclusive, more flexible, and more of everything that makes financial sense. Also recommended is the building or rebuilding your company’s brand. Changing your image sends a strong message to your current and future staff about your goals and how you plan to achieve them. 
Resources
Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements by Tom Rath and Jim Harter
Families and Work Institute
AARP Workforce Assessment Tool |
