Benefits by the Numbers

In October of 2010 I took to LinkedIn to engage the top producers in their respective fields. The intent being to discover what top talent is
looking for in an employer and what said employer needs to retain said
talent.


The survey includes a generational perspective of:
* Benefits
* Pay Scale
* Expected Tenure
* Opportunities for Advancement
* The Importance of Recognition of One’s Achievement

The results clarified some forgone conclusions and debunked others.

Study Summary:
1. Google remains the Employer of Choice
2. Cash is still king, but a fun loving work environment is more important
3. Lack of pay is the last reason for leaving an employer
4. A Bad Boss is the number 1 reason for employee departure
5. Recognition from Senior Leadership is significantly more important than recognition from one’s peers
6. Top performers are seeking long term employment
7. Pay by performance is equally important as salary
8. Employees need to be recognized for their achievements at least once a month

The glaring facts
Our ability to conduct our work day at our own pace, to have a company vision we believe in, an opportunity for advancement and the need to 'have fun' at work are now the driving factors in the job search of those who have options.

What we didn't consider
Money is less a driving factor in employment than it used to be.

Generation Y has been categorized as the validation generation...our survey debunks these stereotypes in indicating that everyone wants to be recognized for their effort (at least monthly).

Despite the 'job hopping' categorization of today's workforce, our survey shows the majority of Top Performers are seeking long term employment (10+ years).

A Bad Boss can drive anyone from any company.

Statistics and case studies are everywhere. The default to many surveys is who is conducting them and what do I stand to lose by being honest.

It is my conclusion that this random survey of the Best of the Best gives us dependable data.

Note to Employers:
Big pay checks and generous benefits do not make up for lack of leadership
Everyone needs to hear Thank You!
Your company culture is what drives retention

Listen and implement requests from the field. Validate effort in a genuine manner. Create fun and a vision to believe in....Lead by Example.

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave

THE BOSS

The passing of George Steinbrenner has provoked glowing tributes for a man who dedicated himself to winning at all costs. There is no question that George Steinbrenner was one of the most influential owners in professional sports history. Mr. Stenbrenner revolutionized sports marketing and talent acquisition. The New York Yankees are now worth 100 times what he bought the franchise for and they won 7 World Championships under George Steinbrenner's leadership. The stats don't lie, this is one of the most successful professionals in sports history. My question with Mr. Steinbrenner's legacy is not in the stats but the process by which to get there and if such a professional approach will ever exist again.

I am equal parts competitor and collaborator. My greatest achievements have come from competing with unparallelled effort and winning as a result. Some of the most influential people in my life pushed me hard, seldom applauded my effort but showed me how to achieve without asking for anything in return. There are others who have influenced me by helping me believe in myself through positive reinforcement.

So I ask my readers to ponder the following point:
Is it better to succeed by fulfilling your competitive drive or to find your path, follow it and be confident in the results by your own accord.

Winning:
I have won Baseball Championships, Wrestling Tournaments, Skateboarding Competitions, Elections, Popularity Contests, Sales Awards, Committee Nominations, etc. My Resume is full.....do you care? I have competed and won at the highest level. I revel in competition and when the whistle blows I thrive on digging in, trying hard and getting to the finish line first....do you?

A while back I introduced the metaphor of excelling to the finish line and breaking the tape alone....while everyone else walked together and enjoyed each other's company...In winning some times we beat our chest alone while others look on in confusion.

Unity:
My competitive life in sports spilled over into my professional life. However, there are many games within the game of professional development. With a team of various talents and diverse responsibilities; is competition always the way to results? Some times we have to bear in mind that not everyone has a ladder to achievement that promotes stepping on another's hands to get to the top. Some times results are better shared than celebrating on our own.

The worst bosses I have had yelled at me and expected me to respond to their inelegant personal attacks. To overcome their crass personal disinterest by producing results in spite of them.

The best bosses I have had helped me get out of my own way. To focus less on running people over and more on lifting them up.

There is so much said about today's workforce and our need for continual encouragement at every turn. Our need to be recognized and our unwillingness to be 'instructed'. From the aforementioned points it might be concluded that people like working with people who they like....

I would not have enjoyed working for George Steinbrenner! That does not mean I would not have accepted his challenges and grown from them. We walk such a fine line in the organizational culture we create (or destroy).

My final observation: If you have options you are less willing to put up with a bully as a boss. If you have confidence you are less willing to respond to insults with results. Knowing this, we might formulate our leadership approach based not on the results we wish to create but the people we want to inspire.

Rest in Peace Georage Steinbrenner (1930 - 2010)

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave