When asked if working hard is very important to them, 80% of Americans said yes. Yet when that same sample was asked if they were working hard at their jobs, the vast majority (84%) said no.
That makes no sense. We want to work hard, but don't. Where's the disconnect?
It turns out, that the corporate culture and management style makes a word of a difference. As they say at my internship, culture eats strategy for breakfast. You can set quotas and crack the whip all day, but if your employees hate you, no good work will get done.
I've had the unique vantage point of working for two different companies in entirely different industries.
At one, small milestones are celebrated. The employees are given the tools and resources they need to succeed and the company takes care to match work with skill sets so that the days are satisfying and the quality is top-notch.
The other refuses to believe that Employee Relationship Management (ERM) is just as important as the more well-known acrononym CRM (Customer Relationship Management). They are under-staffed and refuse to break out the checkbook to ensure that there are enough employees so they can work where they are best suited. The employees leave frustrated and company loyalty is tied directly to a bi-monthly paycheck and very little else.
As I start this absurd adventure of starting my own company, these are lessons I never want to forget.
That makes no sense. We want to work hard, but don't. Where's the disconnect?
It turns out, that the corporate culture and management style makes a word of a difference. As they say at my internship, culture eats strategy for breakfast. You can set quotas and crack the whip all day, but if your employees hate you, no good work will get done.
I've had the unique vantage point of working for two different companies in entirely different industries.
At one, small milestones are celebrated. The employees are given the tools and resources they need to succeed and the company takes care to match work with skill sets so that the days are satisfying and the quality is top-notch.
The other refuses to believe that Employee Relationship Management (ERM) is just as important as the more well-known acrononym CRM (Customer Relationship Management). They are under-staffed and refuse to break out the checkbook to ensure that there are enough employees so they can work where they are best suited. The employees leave frustrated and company loyalty is tied directly to a bi-monthly paycheck and very little else.
As I start this absurd adventure of starting my own company, these are lessons I never want to forget.
Treating employees as well as customers.
Celebrating small successes.
Providing work that fulfills.
Viewing people holistically instead of as cogs.
No comments:
Post a Comment