What attracts employees isn’t what retains their talent; how to win that race.

Written on the 6 May 2008 by Sharon Hudson

Today’s low unemployment figures and skills shortages have changed the landscape of the employee market and indented the tried and true principles of attract, train and retain.

Attracting high achievers is all about the right employment environment. Being an attractive employer requires being branded as a high scorer on the triple score card; but in the eyes of the prospective employee. People join organisations because the organisation appeals to the prospective employee’s sense of values and purpose, and then the job, appears to be a good match to their skills and interests.

Today, retention is rarely about what Herzberg described, so long ago, as the hygiene factors: salary, safety and security.

It is the quality of the relationship with the direct supervisor/manager that is the most dominant factor in a decision to leave a work role and disappointment with management generally that leads to the organisational exit. However, many smaller issues can compound so that even the best boss is powerless to stop good people leaving, which leads to the second expellant of talent.

The realisation that the organisation does not live up to its branding or the employee’s expectations of its values and purpose in its operations. The organisation, anxious in its need to attract talent, may have embellished the employer branding, or described the organisation’s desired values, purpose and culture, rather than what it’s actual; and/or similarly enhanced the role description. Which is result of failing to clear hurdle one.

Subordinate relationships must be a key result area for all roles with responsibility for the performance of others. At all levels, but particularly at the middle and frontline levels. It is the manager’s role to capitalise on the natural synergistic potential afforded by the congruence of the organisational and individual values/purpose, strengths/interests for which the person was employed. This can only be achieved when a manager knows each subordinate. How they learn, what connects them to the organisation and how to maximise their strengths and minimise their weaknesses.

Getting the flying start:
Use the Extended DISC Personal Analysis to align candidates’ values and purpose to the organisation’s. To check for a strong match between their interests and skills with the of the work role, and their also their motivators factors with the work environment use the Job Analysis.

Maintaining the momentum:
Develop trust through organisational actions and resource allocations, develop those with supervisory responsibility as a priority, using the Extended DISC 360 Feedback/Assessmenrt tool. Use the Work pair Analysis to match an employee with a supervisor and continue to use the Personal Analysis Report to establish rapport and manage for optimum performance.

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