Rules Successful Companies Use to Attract and Keep Top Talent - Book Report/Review Example

Rules successful companies use to attract and keep top talent Affiliation: Tell me (5) main takeaways you learned from this book and how you will apply it to your professional growth Respect Employees appreciate workplaces where they are treated with the respect they deserve and which they accord to the management. When an individual is respected, they tend to carry themselves highly and even get high expectation of themselves. They feel that they are valued and appreciated and with these feelings, they create a wide social circle and networking in the workplace (Russo, 2009). Respect also has positive or negative effects on the work performance of the employee. AN employee whose boss does not give him respect tends to be stressed by the work and their level of concentration dwindles. They change the way they handle customers and in return, the performance of the organization reduces significantly. However, when respect is shown even if not through words but action, then the employees’ performance will be at the very best. Respect is indicated through verbal means and non-verbal communication as well. When superiors tend to quarrel the employee in the presence of customers or fellow employees and demeaning them, this is a sign of a lack of respect. The breaking or failure to fulfill agreement made and especially the informal agreements is another sign of disrespect and these are things that should be avoided entirely. The other downside to not according respect to employees is the increase in turnover as they leave to seek better organizations to work in. Fun The best way to describe this important point raised by the author is the famous quote “all work without play makes Jack a dull boy.” Workplaces should not be the traditional strict with somber mood all the time. This leads to employees that are uptight and very sensitive. Workplaces need to have a fun attitude and mood. This is bound to attract more customers who will feel welcome and relaxed at all times and not have to look elsewhere despite service being best there. Workplaces do not have to be as fun and relaxed as most technology firms such as Google but they should not be as uptight as most banks are. There are several ways of integrating fun in the work place without making any party uncomfortable or losing the seriousness of the business. One of these ways is to encourage a smiling culture like in airplanes with their ever smiling flight attendants who make flying less boring and monotonous. Painting the office in different bright colors lightens up the mood of the people as well as making the interior design in a better way. Workplaces can also organize outdoors activities on weekends where all the employees are taken to scenic sights as a team building exercise and they get to have fun. These fun activities will be carried for several weeks in the workplace. Appreciate effort There are some employees who work very hard in the organization while others are the least performers and yet the most complainers. In order to make all the employees work hard, it is important to give them a motivation to do so and minimize their complaints. This brings in the importance of appreciation of the effort being made by the hard workers while at the same time motivating the least performers to work hard as well. The reward system that comprises of both tangible and intangible rewards is the best appreciator and motivator in an organization as explained by Russo (2009). The rewards can be based on the different theories of motivation. However they generally include rewards such as money, gift certificates, increase in benefits as well as job promotion and in-house training on leadership among many others. It is important to know and understand employees in order to be able to find out what reward they would appreciate more and which reward promise would make them work even harder. An example is that of the already hard working employees who are really good at their work and have high academic qualifications. The best way to appreciate their effort is by giving them a promotion or a paid vacation. As for the others, they can be given trainings as rewards which will not only benefit their career but will enhance their performance in the workplace hence the organization benefiting in the end. Leadership not management The author explains the differences between a leader and a manager and shows the importance of a manager being a leader as well if the organization is to succeed. A manager is bent backwards on controlling. This they do through manipulation of resources, delegating duties and coordinating. Leaders on the other hand inspire, motivate and influence the people around and make them wasn’t to follow in the footsteps and succeed. Managers only succeed in making people want to leave. Managers are guarded in their approach to anything and this attitude leads them to being selective and especially in decision making. Leaders are complete opposite as they are inclusive and expressive with wide vision and a carefree attitude. This makes them passionate in their work and their followers and employees are willing to serve them and work with them even more. Leaders let the employees feel like they have ownership of the organization but letting them make decisions and contribute to others even though the leaders may make the final decision. This tendency to make appreciate their work through motivation and passion leads to hard working employees with little or nothing to complain about and hence in the end increasing the productivity in the work place which is not the case with managers. Organizational ethics The last and perhaps the most important thing Russo, (2009) raises in the book about an organization is the organizational ethics. This involves the behavior of employees towards each other, towards their managers and customers as well. It deals with the code established by the organization to guide the employees as to their behavior in the work place including the dos and don’ts. One of ethics necessary in most organizations is the issue of confidentiality or personal conversation as well as record of clients. Clients are discreet about their information and demand the same by the employees. Other than confidentiality, the other ethical conduct involves industrial espionage where employees trade of company secrets with the company’s competitors. This is wrong in both the legal and moral sense. The other important ethical conduct is the issue of taking and giving bribes in order to have a favor conducted or avoid taking responsibilities of one’s action. Organizations and their employees and managers are supposed to be accountable and transparent as well and bribery is not acceptable at all. An organization that upholds its ethics correctly and adheres strictly to them is bound to be very sufficient and customers are attracted to it. The business performance increase and they gain competitive advantage in the market. 2. Do you believe this book would be a good reference for someone entering the Human Resources Field? Why or Why Not? This book is very good for someone entering the human resource field. This is because it acts as a guide to how to organize the employees, communicate better with them and openly as well. It also provides guide on the organizational ethics and the issue of respect and how to give and earn it. When it comes to leadership, the book guides on what to avoid and how to lead the employees without instilling fear and control in them. All these advice is what the human resource manager needs in order to be able to interact with the employees and the managers as well. Human resource managers are bridge between the employers and employees and hence with such a guide, they will be able to caution and advice both parties and makes them coexist with each other and satisfactorily for that matter. References Russo, D. (2009). 17 Rules Successful Companies Use to Attract and Keep Top Talent: Why Engaged Employees Are Your Greatest Sustainable Advantage. New York: FT Press. Read More