As a leader, manager or supervisor, how do you attract and keep the most talented employees? In this struggling economy, hiring and retaining the best most productive employees is more important than ever.
In Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman’s book, “First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently,” they’ve discovered there are 12 questions that measure the strength of a workplace. This is research by the Gallup organization based on in-depth interviews of over 80,000 managers/supervisors in over 400 organizations. The largest study of its kind undertaken. These 12 questions won’t tell you everything about the strength of your workplace, but they’ll provide insight into some of the most important information. They measure the main elements necessary to attract and retain the most talented, productive employees. Here they are:
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Do I know what is expected of me at work?
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Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?
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At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?
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In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work?
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Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?
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Is there someone at work who encourages my development?
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At work, do my opinions seem to count?
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Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel my job is important?
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Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work?
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Do I have a best friend at work?
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In the last six months, has someone at work talked to me about my progress?
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This last year, have I had opportunities at work to learn and grow?
In conducting Leadership and Managing People seminars worldwide, I often quote this study and the above questions to my audiences. I ask them if their employees could answer positively, or “Strongly Agree” to all twelve questions. It’s important to know that on a scale of 1 to 5, “Strongly Agree” is 5. And if your employees can answer “Strongly Agree,” which is more extreme, it distinguishes the most productive companies and their departments from all the rest.
Colleen Seward Ryan is available for keynotes, seminars and breakout sessions by calling (623)340-7690.
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