A high quality workforce and work environment won't happen
with yesterday's management practices. You must ensure that
all your employees both want to
and are able to contribute at
their maximum potential. Attracting and retaining employees
who:
- Want to contribute requires
that your company access and recruit from the full range
of talent in the marketplace.
- Are able to contribute requires
an inclusive work environment that supports their individuality,
creativity, innovation, and productivity.
How is all this achieved? Two major factors are having a
diverse workforce and an
organizational culture that generates and values an inclusive,
supportive, and productive work environment.
In brief, if you “read backwards” from here
back through the preceding paragraphs, the right workforce,
culture, and work environment help all employees want to
and be able to contribute at their maximum potential, thus
generating the business results and reputation a company
needs to succeed.
This concept is as simple as it sounds; realizing
and sustaining it, however, is a challenge.
More thoughts on each element follow.
Demographic trends show rapidly increasing diversity in
society
and thus in consumers and in the labor force. With global
competition, your current local market may be other companies’
new growth opportunity. This raises the bar on your need
for
productivity, innovation, and creativity. Finally, your growth
opportunity may be in non-traditional local, regional, or
international markets. Effective product or service design
and marketing calls for an ever increasing knowledge and
experience
base about these new markets.
Whether your company's market is local, national, or global,
whether your industry is "old economy" or "new
economy", whether you're a manufacturer or a service
provider – you confront a choice about your workforce.
Thrive by expanding your sourcing strategies, building a
more
inclusive and supportive work environment, and truly being
more inclusive in making hire, development, and promotion
decisions. Or, shrivel away from an inability to attract
talent
and fill vacant positions from a global talent marketplace.
A productive work environment is essential to the sustained
business success of any company, association, or non-profit.
Your employees and volunteers must be able to focus on their
job-related objectives. What might keep them from focusing
on their job?
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