The “bottom up” approach
Web 2.0 is causing profound changes in how organizations assess their HR performance. The traditional “top down” approach is giving way to the “bottom up” philosophy. Not so very long ago, boards of directors were “rubber stamping” strategic projects and only focusing on share prices to keep shareholders happy. While this may still be true in many cases, it seems that the work environment, staff turnover and contented employees are now on boards’ agendas. Surveys and studies are being commissioned and the fight is on to be the “best employer.” The objective of qualifying as an employer of choice has finally tipped the scales.
To perform well in the knowledge economy, companies need happy employees. Staff that are happy in their work contribute four times more to creating value for the enterprise. This is not negligible. The problem is that, when you’re at the top of the ladder, it’s very difficult to know how those at the bottom are feeling. And it is idealistic to believe that you’ll find out simply by asking. When a job is at stake, the truth does not always come out. Generally, you’ll obtain a watered-down version of the truth. When 81% of employees say they like or love their boss (see the latest Towers Perrin survey), you have to wonder about the method used to collect the information…
Web 2.0 brings a new dimension to company-sponsored studies and surveys. The site RateMyEmployer.ca is the first of its kind in Canada to offer an alternative for employees. With RateMyEmployer.ca, it is no longer the enterprise questioning its employees, but the employees who, spontaneously and anonymously, rate and evaluate their employer. Since the enterprise is no longer the instigator of the evaluation process, even employers with a poorer track record have to step up to the plate. While some employers are already quaking at the idea of having their dirty laundry aired in public, others are seeing this as a unique opportunity to get feedback that can only be given anonymously.
Of course, this is raw data and some people get carried away when commenting anonymously. Also keep in mind that dissatisfied employees express themselves more readily than satisfied ones. Nevertheless, this new method for employees to make themselves heard without risk of reprisals is definitely popular and generates an impressive quantity of information, opinions and analyses from all echelons. Since what is being said about an enterprise carries more weight than what an enterprise says about itself, there are now more factors at play in becoming a best employer.
While this may be a total shift for some, enterprises that learn to deal with this new forced transparency will certainly rank among the best employers.