“I don’t want my company to have a reputation for being nice.” This is what a leader of a large company let drop to me in conversation on his talent management strategy. By trying too hard to please and make it attractive to the younger generation, by being afraid of a shortage of skilled manpower, by listening to lectures on how to attract future employees (mea culpa, several of my lectures have focused on this topic!), it appears that the balance of power is completely unbalanced between the employer and candidate or employee. “I want to be known to be the most demanding company in selecting talented employees and the home for the best talents in town!”, is what this CEO aspires to.
This same leader told me that in recent years his company had multiplied work-family balance programs, relaxation spaces in the offices, “Bringing my pooch” days and personal and professional training and development programs. The working atmosphere is certainly excellent and surveys show that they reach a satisfaction rate of 80 to 86%. However, some comments disturb our CEO, such as, in particular: “Working here is very interesting for a young person, this is a very good school.” The implication is that it’s good for my CV and I’ll be able to take advantage of my experience, elsewhere. The call for new challenges will succumb to any form of loyalty. Another comment or situation is that employees who leave, come back! Of course, we welcome them with both hands and bite our tongue so as not to tell them that we knew they would. But…. they also return because out there “it was too hard!”. Yes, there were challenges there, but “there was too much pressure”. One employee even said, “What’s good about you is that it feels like home, you can always come back, the door is always open!”
While all of this, very positive, is the result of a successful strategy for attracting and retaining talent – I salute the work of the human resources staff that have brought about these results – the fact remains that in an ultra-competitive world it is necessary to have the best talents in your sector or industry and to rely on their competitive spirit. It’s therefore essential to stimulate while creating a positive working environment, without falling into a “cushy” comfort. The right balance is key. Easy to say, you tell me. How are we to pamper them and be sure to be an employer of choice while cultivating the desire to excel and be recognized as “THE” company according to the criteria of being difficult to be hired, scale of projects, level of their complexity and excellence in performance and delivery of products or services? The younger generations are ready to work their socks off to be a part of projects that would propel them to the rank of “stars” in their community.
“Is professional comfort asleep in the search for excellence?” At a time when the theme of happiness at work is at the centre of discussions, it must be admitted that this is going a bit against the flow. Let’s be clear, it’s not here a question of well-being at work, since this is inseparable with employee satisfaction and commitment. What it’s about rather is the comfort by which employees are allowed to settle in gradually. A bit like an old couple who fall asleep in their routine. Keeping a certain level of “positive stress” and competitive spirit is essential to keep staff on the lookout for the competition, new trends and innovation. This is even more true when the company is a leader in their market or industry. Never take anything for granted, whether you are an individual or an organization, allow for self-criticism and questioning. Any company should want, through a healthy climate and high rate of involvement, employees to be motivated by the desire to excel. As an example, at www.ratemyemployer.ca you can read the following employee comment: “In summary – if you want to work with an amazing team in a high pressure, high rewards environment and you know that this is what you really want then ABC is for you. If you prefer employment and predictable work week then you will not fit here.”In 2013, we don’t want to seduce our candidates and employees, we want to excite and inflame their passion for their job! This is the best way to be seen as a business champion in the field and be populated with exceptionally talented people. In short, to be the company where you have to be, if you want to be one of the “greats”. We want students who dream of winning their internship here, young recruits who are preparing for their first interview like it’s their final exam and experienced candidates for whom getting hired is the consecration of their careers. Who was speaking about putting forward work-family balance programs? Who was speaking about telecommuting, “Bringing my pooch” days, the pool table? No one! These programs can and should exist (well, for Pooch I’ll let you be the judge…), but they must not be the number 1 argument. The only reason that should take precedence is the quality of the products, individuals and organization that the company offers. The key message is, “Do you want to be part of the elite? Do you have what it takes? Are you ready to give the best of yourself?”
In this regard, the benchmarks in this domain are certainly Google, Apple, McKinsey or even Shell. They are also part of the companies who have the toughest interviews and whose selection process is particularly difficult and reserved for “the cream of the cream”.
Caution, we are talking here of “difficult interview”, never “painful experience”. To be clear, the candidate leaves the interview with the feeling of having been scrutinized, analyzed, having worked hard and given the best of himself to perform to the company’s standards. Hmm… Personally, I Iike that; a candidate who puts all his talent to work and seeks to give the best of himself, knowing that it will be evaluated by professionals who leave nothing to chance. No hiding places, false pretences or ready-made answers. The recruiter’s shock team submits candidates to practical cases worthy of the most prestigious universities, scenarios, exercises in judgment and problem solving, questions of general culture, etc. A candidate mentioned elsewhere: “When you have to think quickly and turn around on a dime under the stress of an interview, this helps predict how you would behave tomorrow in the company in the same situation.”
It is up to you to adapt your selection processes, taking reality into account. Ask your managers to give examples of problematic or difficult situations that they have to manage in their work, and make it a case for recruitment.
As this new year begins, it’s time to sharpen our pencils and strive for excellence. If you want to have the best talent available, be at the top and raise the bar!