Benchmark for Organizational Success-Putting People First

       

Practices for Organizational Success--  How well does your company do the following?


Employment Security- job security promotes innovation since people aren't using productive energy worrying about if they'll continue to be employed

Selective Hiring - Attract the largest applicant pool, identify critical knowledge, skills and abilities; screen applicants based on hard to learn skills

Teams and Decentralized Decision-Making -  Organize people and tasks around teams (but give your people--especially your introverts (see previous post)-- some solitude to innovate)

High Compensation Contingent on Performance - Pay employees above industry averages if possible and link pay to company success; use individual and team incentives.  Remember though that pay isn't the only motivator (provide autonomy, mastery and sense of purpose)

Extensive Training -- Provide extensive formal training, but also just in time, on the job, and mentoring and shadowing; note the open source on-line training possibilities and use widely.  Create an environment where people can be current experts in their field.

Reduce Status Differences - Reduce barriers between top management and lower level employees-- give your new hires access to senior leadership.  Reduce or eliminate senior parking spots ;-) or other differentiators -- do senior badges look different?  How about office space?

Sharing Information - Share performance, strategy, and operational information with all employees.  Provide them with opportunities to share their knowledge with you.


For more, see Pfeffer and Veiga, Putting People First for Organizational Success

http://www.psych.uncc.edu/alblanch/ODII/PfefferandVeiga1999.pdf