Why isn’t every Organisation Great to Work For?

I finally got a few spare hours at the weekend to read Small Giants by Bo Burlingham. It contains case studies of owner managed companies and how they engage their employees. Big Style. They create a family-style atmosphere. The owner gets to know every individual employee well enough to ensure that employee feels a real connection to the company. Even when that company has hundreds of employees.

So if it’s that easy, why isn’t every organisation like that?

1. Too Big.

For some organisations the answer is simple, they are just to big for that to be credible. Though you will still find some departments or sites even in the largest organisations where the local manager has built that atmosphere. It is perhaps at odds with the big company messages of growth, compliance and standardisation, but these organisations show that it is still possible to engage employees whatever size organisation they work in.

2. I struggled with 2.

Because if you run a small organisation, and it is not great to work for, then what could be happening? Surely owners don’t set out to make their employees miserable? Well it could be that adverse conditions are making it a struggle for many owners at the moment, and that stress trickles down the organisation.

But is it also possible that leaders and owners just aren’t focussing enough on the people aspect of their business? Perhaps there just isn’t enough time in the day? Well surely that is where good HR practitioners can add value, by empowering leaders, training managers and introducing sensible people policies?

Mr Burlingham makes the strong point that people want decent rewards, and to be appreciated. They do not want great rewards in return for an abusive relationship. Let’s be clear – the moment all you have to give employees is a money, that is the same moment you’ve just told them all that matters here is the money. Goodbye engagement and hello greed.

Maybe its just too expensive to be great to work for? Well, I’m not buying that. Being great to work for should be paying back business owners many times over with higher productivity, lower absence costs, lower attrition costs, less time spent on employee disputes and much more besides. If you don’t believe me, get in touch and I promise to explain how it’s done.

The Human Cost of “The Cuts”

Recently I sat in on a staff meeting at a charity. Every person there faced redundancy due to government cuts. These were hard-working people delivering invaluable services to their local community.

I couldn’t help but feel a sense of irony. The banks lost truck-loads of cash. The government gave truck-loads of cash to the banks. So now the government has to cut services to the community?

It will soon be bonus time at Canary Wharf. The FT will no doubt publish their “How to Spend It” supplement advertising holiday homes, yachts and investment plans. It’s hard not to reflect that a fraction of one banker’s bonus would fund this charity for a year

Retirement Gets Stressful

My mailbox is crammed with the latest on the changes to the rules concerning retirement. It seems the lawyers at the DWP drafted the regulations wrongly, and have hurriedly corrected the situation.

Retirement used to be simple: Get to 65. Receive carriage clock. Retire.

Now it’s a world of administration, processes and stress for all concerned. Another job for HR!

Equality Act Guidance is Published

My bedtime reading for the next few weeks has just been released by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Three seperate documents cover the implications for Employers, Services and Equal Pay. If you can’t wait for the summary versions, you can get them now at http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/