Commercial Integrator March 2023 - 13

between those who " want to stay " and
those who " have to stay. " As you would
imagine, productivity and growth are appreciably
higher when people affirmatively
want to be where they are.
Employee-retention data indicates that,
on average, more than three million people
(hourly and salary, across all sectors) quit their
jobs in the U.S. each month. This alarming
turnover rate is on the rise. That's why it's
critical - and, in some cases, existential - to
foster a positive, growth-oriented culture to
entice employees to stay. Greater employee
retention will boost morale, improve productivity
and enhance customer experience.
And, if strategies are approached creatively,
it can even reduce a company's overall costs
and increase profitability.
Why We Stay
Let's now examine a few of the top
reasons that employees opt to stay at a
company. (It's worth reiterating that, as a
consequence, these workplaces are often
happier and more productive.)
Research shows that employees join a
company, or stay under its umbrella, if it
creates and maintains a positive and empowering
culture. These cultures are often
designed to attract talented employees;
in the end, however, it's equally important
that they entice that talent to stay. If you're
an integration business owner, add the following
principles to your list of strategies
to enhance your business:
› A company should have a stated sense
of purpose - why do we exist? - and its
values should be clearly articulated.
› There should be an emotional connection
among those who believe in what their
company stands for.
› There should be leadership worth trusting,
where leaders care for their employees
and always have their backs.
› A company should promote a sense of
involvement and belonging.
› The workplace should be characterized
by encouragement and recognition.
› A company should encourage and invest
in employee learning and career development.
›
The workplace should always make
work/life balance possible.
Of course, we cannot overlook fair compensation
and competitive benefits. Howcommercialintegrator.com
Ultimately,
if you want to retain talent, your company
must create an environment of trust, acceptance
and growth.
ever, although money certainly matters, if
you implement solid values and a positive
culture, several aspects rise above even a
paycheck and benefits. For instance, it's
not unusual to hear candidates say they
chose one company over another for their
culture, rather than their pay.
Trust, Acceptance and Growth
Ultimately, if you want to retain talented
employees, your company must create
an environment of trust, acceptance and
growth. By keeping your employees'
needs in mind and maintaining a positive
culture, you'll have a more successful
company.
I'll wrap things up with two parting
shots. First, I'll recommend a must-read
book for those who want to explore
what the most talented employees want
from the workplace. First Break All the
Rules, by Marcus Buckingham and Curt
Coffman, reads like an encyclopedia of
research-based organizational practices. I
highly recommend it!
Second, I want to draw your attention
to The Gallup Organization, which has
spent 25 years surveying more than
one million employees across different
industries. Their research involved testing
scores of questions before, ultimately, extracting
the 12 questions that best predict
a thriving workplace. Those questions are
as follows:
1. Do I know what is expected of me at
work?
2. Do I have the materials and equipment
that I need to do my job well?
3. At work, do I have the opportunity to do
what I do best every day?
4. In the last seven days, have I received recognition
or praise for doing good work?
5. Does my supervisor or someone at work
seem to care about me as a person?
6. Is there someone at work who encourages
my development?
7. At work, do my opinions seem to count?
8. Does the mission/purpose of my
company make me feel like my job is
important?
9. Are my coworkers committed to doing
quality work?
10. Do I have a best friend at work?
11. In the last six months, has someone
talked to me about my progress?
12. This last year, have I had opportunities
at work to learn and grow?
Take some time and consider rereading
this article - especially the 12 questions
just presented. Do you recognize yourself
and your workplace? How can your
company culture be improved? Irrefutable
data shows that learning how to entice and
retain talented employees helps ensure
companies' growth, as well as the prosperity
of our industry. In the process, we
create environments in which employees
can flourish. Talk about a win-win!
Alan C. Brawn, CTS, ISF, ISF-C,
DSCE, DSDE, DCME, is the
principal of Brawn Consulting.
MARCH 2023 Commercial Integrator 13
VECTORMINE/STOCK.ADOBE.COM
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Commercial Integrator March 2023

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