People Aren't Your Greatest Asset

The title of this article should get your attention, because it is true. We have used the line, "people are our greatest asset," for too long, and it is only partially correct. The truly engaged and talented people that come to work every day are the real asset of your company.

Every client I consult with has the desire to become an "employer of choice," but they aren't specific enough about what this really means. How can they make this happen? What are the potential obstacles? How do you turn those words into actions -- how do you become an employer of choice?

There is no such thing as a "best practices" company. The best place to look for world-class performance is at a work group level. Within every organization, there are highly productive workgroups as well as average or mediocre ones. The key to understanding world-class performance lies in identifying what happens in the most productive workgroups that does not happen in the rest.

Gallup has studied more than one million employees across hundreds of organizations and has identified the 12 key dimensions that exist in the most productive work groups. We have also identified 12 key items -- the Gallup Q¹² -- that consistently describe great workplaces. The Q¹² items help us be specific about the factors we must manage to if we want to retain great people. (See graphic "The 12 Elements of Great Managing.")

So, how do we build loyalty among our most productive and talented people? It begins and ends with the manager. Gallup research shows that people join companies, but they leave managers and supervisors. The best managers are persistent in creating environments where employees can strongly agree with these 12 statements consistently.

Great managers set clear expectations by defining the desired outcomes -- they don't break every job down into steps. They maximize output by making sure that associates have the tools, equipment, and information they need. They select the person with the right talent for the job. They give immediate, positive, and clear praise and recognition for good work. They genuinely care about their people. And, they do not define development as "climbing the career ladder," but as helping the individual find the right "fit" and then growing to maximum potential within it.

Every company has world-class managers who create this kind of environment every day. Their well-managed workgroups are more profitable (44% higher), more productive (50% higher), and have higher degrees of customer loyalty (50% higher).

Do you know who your great managers are? And are you finding more like them? If not, your commitment to becoming an employer of choice is only a buzzword and will never become a reality.