Part 2: Resetting the Employer/Employee Relationship

In Part 1 we explored the path that got us here. This week we look at the structure of developing a new philosophy and in Part 3 steps to implement the structure.

Developing a Modern Talent Philosophy

As we've all experienced, the landscape of work is changing rapidly, and organizations need to adapt their talent strategies accordingly. A modern talent philosophy should be built on three key pillars:

A. Understanding Your Workforce's Needs and Desires

The first step in developing a modern talent philosophy is to truly understand what your employees want and need. This goes beyond surface-level perks and delves into deeper motivations:

• Purpose and meaning in work
• Opportunities for growth and development
• Flexibility and autonomy
• Work-life integration
• Inclusive and diverse work environments

Regular surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one discussions can help leaders stay attuned to their workforce's evolving needs. Building a formal evaluation process with a personalized conversation with each employee can open the door to creative conversations providing valuable insights about the organization's best working model.

B. Balancing Organizational Goals with Employee Preferences

While it's crucial to cater to employee preferences, it's equally important to ensure that these align with organizational goals. This balance can be achieved by:

• Clearly communicating company objectives and how individual roles contribute to them
• Involving employees in goal-setting and strategy development
• Creating flexible policies that allow for individual preferences while maintaining collective productivity
• Regularly reassessing and adjusting policies based on both employee feedback and business outcomes

Hiring motivated, top talent drives positive business outcomes. These employee’s often need less daily input, but what they do need is the big picture objective and permission & a framework to go after it.  Top performers also expect others to pull their weight and pull together towards the goal.  As an ex-coach, coaching to strengths always works, but you have to communicate the vision and how each team member will contribute. With these pieces in place, work arrangement flexibility becomes infinitely more possible.

C. Creating Flexibility Within Structure

The key to a successful modern talent philosophy is to provide flexibility within a clear structure. This might involve:

• Core working hours combined with flexible start and end times
• A mix of in-office and remote work options
• Project-based work with clear deliverables, allowing employees to manage their own time
• Career lattices instead of traditional ladders, allowing for horizontal as well as vertical growth

Employees all have different life & family needs, circadian rhythms, career goals, etc. Accommodating these life/work challenges have been difficult in traditional work settings, but now it’s necessary to accommodate in order to attract top talent. Focusing on outcomes and timing with one employee might be all that is needed. Another employee might need more structure, or more time with a mentor or team.

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Photo by Mario Gogh on Unsplash