February 2010
Fortune has released the 2010 edition of its venerable list of Best Companies to Work For. This year’s top five companies are SAS, Edward Jones, Wegmans, Google, and Nugget Market. Two Tennessee companies – Baker Donelson and FedEx – made this year’s list.
The Fortune Web site breaks down each of the winners and lets visitors search by size, geography, best perks, etc.
On the new front, CBS’ Undercover Boss should be on every CEO’s radar. The show, in which CEOs go undercover to perform front-line jobs at their companies, is already the talk of the Internet. In the first episode, the president and COO of Waste Management cleaned Port-A-Johns at a state fair, sorted recyclable materials, and worked on a garbage truck.
CEOs are not going to learn anything about running a company from the show. But there is a good chance your company’s employees are watching. It has the potential to be a reality show that changes employees’ views – and maybe their expectations – of the C-suite. Undercover Boss airs Sundays 9/8c on CBS. It’s worth an hour of the CEO’s time to see what people are talking about.
October 2009
Businesses often tout the strength of its team and exult, “Our greatest competitive advantage is our people.” Some experts estimate talent can account for as much as half of a company’s market value.
Yet rarely do you see the people unless you engage with the company.
The equation has flipped thanks to social media. It’s now affordable, practical, and srategic for employees to build a dynamic online presence that connects them with potential customers and existing clients. It’s powerful stuff.
The new equation also raises some interesting marketing challenges that businesses will have to tackle.
- Who controls the content? Right now, marketing departments have complete control of their marketing message. Social media requires giving up some of that control and trusting employees to do the right thing. Social media guidelines are a must for any business.
- What’s the balance of professional insights to personal information? Social media is predicated on personality. Too much business information = pushy sales. Too much personal information = TMI.
- Why invest in employee branding when they could leave? This is a valid concern. Pioneers in the area of employee branding will be able to point to their investment in an employee’s brand as a reason point for staying. Eventually we believe employee branding will be a necessity for attracting and retaining any top talent.
December 2008
http://www.glassdoor.com/
You might know how satisfied employees are with your company, but now everyone else — including competitors and recruits — can get a sneak peek. At Glassdoor.com, disgruntled and content employees write reviews about their companies, rate their CEOs, and score their overall satisfaction. Everyone who writes an anonymous review has full access to more than 14,000 companies’ posts for free. Reviews are broken down into pros, cons, and advice to senior management. Potential employees can also see salary ranges for companies by job description if they post the salary for their current position.
June 2008
Well-known author and leadership expert John Maxwell is fond of saying, “great leaders not only get to the top, they take people with them.”
Maxwell casts leadership in five sequential levels — position, permission, production, people development, and personhood — that build upon each other. Employees can be at different levels with the same leader. How people respond to you as a leader depends on what level leadership they are on with you.
Level 1: Position
Employees follow you because they have to: Your title
Level 2: Permission
Employees follow you because they want to: Your ability to connect and listen to them
Level 3: Production
Employees follow you because of what you’ve done for the organization: Your effectiveness and results
Level 4: People Development
Employees follow you because of what you’ve done for them: Your investment in their growth and your own
Level 5: Personhood
Employees follow you because of who you are and what you represent: Their respect for you
Maxwell suggests noting the names of each of your direct reports and examining how to get to the next level with that person.
October 2007
Conventional wisdom says the line between business and work is grayer than ever. For a growing number of potential employees, personal fulfillment is becoming as important as the paycheck.
There is great reward for companies who take advantage of this trend and engage employees on a career and a personal level.
“Engagement is meeting personal needs so that you can meet the practical needs of the business,” an HR consultant recently told us.
Employees don’t have to have a stake in the company to take ownership for the business’ success. Engagement that fosters personal fulfillment will make this happen.
August 2007
Most great organizations have a set of core values. These are often simple, pithy statements drawn from company tradition.
Nike is no exception to this rule. The following are the company’s 11 maxims.
- It is our nature to innovate.
- Nike is a company.
- Nike is a brand.
- Simplify and go.
- The consumer decides.
- Be a sponge.
- Evolve immediately.
- Do the right thing.
- Master the fundamentals.
- We are on the offense. Always.
- Remember the man.
Nike integrates the maxims throughout its internal communications. All new employees receive a book about the maxims during orientation. Its weekly employee email is called The Sponge after Maxim #6. Leaders frequently cite the maxims when discussing company strategy.
Read more about Nike’s 11 Maxims.
