Just about everyone says “people are my most important resource.”  Yet few actually think about what this means.  And fewer actually do the things that show this is true.

A global Gallup survey recently found that at large firms only 33% of employees describe themselves as fully engaged in their work, 49% say they are not engaged, and 18% say they are “actively disengaged.”  Think about this.  Only a third of employees are feeling like they really are your most important resource.

In what Gallup calls “world-class” companies the percentages are 67% fully engaged, 26% not engage, and 7% actively disengaged.  It seems that “world-class” has something to do with believing that people really are their most important resource…and then acting to do things to prove it.

In spite of high unemployment, Manpower recently found that 34% of employers say they are having trouble filling jobs.  There is a shortage of talented technicians, salespeople, engineers, skilled-trade workers, and, yes, even managers and executives.  I can attest to this personally.  Part of our business is retained executive search.  Currently we are working on three excellent, well paying, high level positions for two well known companies.  The final candidates are almost all coming from those currently employed.  The applicants coming from the pool of unemployed are much less qualified and continue to fail to reach the final round.

It is a sad situation.  Two fine companies willing to hire the unemployed but unable to find qualified candidates.

The competition for the best is intense. The need for companies to compete in a global market morphing at the speed of light requires people with the best skills no matter what their position.  And it is only going to get worse.

So much for the problem.  Many of you know it well and have experienced it first hand.  What can we do to solve this problem?

The societal solution is probably improving our education system although in these times of limited resources that seems a faint hope.  Unfortunately we are going in the opposite direction while our international competitors are devoting increasing resources to education. Thus, for most of you the solution is going to be ensuring you become an employer of choice.

Employer of choice means not only mouthing the words “people are our most important resource” but also living these words in all you and your company do.  It means taking care of the physical and mental health of your employess.  It means providing ongoing training and education.  Perhaps it means providing on site child care, allowing pets at work, stopping email in the evenings and weekends, listening to the ideas of employees…and then acting on them.

Mostly it means treating your employees like the valued people they are.

If you don’t show your employees you fully value their skills, their knowledge, and them as people, someone will come along and grab them.  It seems like the cost of providing the things I mention above will be high, and it might be, but what is the cost of replacing hard to find skills?  What is the cost of decreased productivity due to dis-engagement? What is the cost of postions unfilled?

Take a look at your company and how it treats its most important resource.  Do the right things and you too can become a world  class company able to not only survive but to thrive in the brave new world rushing towards us.

People…Truly Your Most Important Resourse!

Comments are closed.