Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What company would answer no?, August 15, 2000
This review is from: How to Become an Employer of Choice (Hardcover)
In theory the answer would be none, and in practice logic would dictate the same response. Can a company succeed with employees that are less than 100% content, it certainly can. Can it succeed without the employees actively telling their peers in the industry why the company they work for is the place to be, in other words, be active recruiters for the organization, again the answer is yes. Any success achieved however will be markedly less than if the two examples listed were true. A highly motivated, satisfied member of a business that offers not only immediate satisfaction, but continued opportunity for employees to grow and remain satisfied will not only lead, and succeed, they will excel well beyond their peers in their industry. The health of the economy can almost be judged by the size of the "business section" at your local bookstore. With the present economy these books have almost become a bookstore within a store as opposed to just a department. Almost daily there is yet another work claiming to offer the Holy Grail to launch your company forward. "How To Become An Employer Of Choice" in my opinion is in the upper tier of the books employers should read. Why, because it is an exercise of common sense. I absolutely am serious. I have been a participant in a variety of business seminars as an employee at the outset of my career, and later as an owner through equity. The vast majority of these sessions were expensive, time consuming and useless. My method of evaluation was simple for these sessions, was I getting enough value to justify being away from my work? Further were the balance of the participants going to come away better equipped to help each other, help me, and by extension the company to exceed the level of performance it had attained prior to the seminar? Generally the answer was no, and the reason was that behavior that should be common sense, was being dressed up as some grand new theory. There certainly are evolutionary changes that affect the way we conduct business, and there is also the very rare case of a revolutionary change, a fundamental shift. I believe in the basics, and that is what this book describes. The more "obvious" a concept appears to be is often directly related to how absent it is from the environment that exists in the workplace. How many billions of dollars have been spent teaching appropriate personal conduct in the workplace? I grant that much of this is a reaction to the litigious nature of how we interact, to that vile concept of "Political Correctness" a phrase that is nothing more than a synonym for respect. Time must be spent as the methods of conveying respect evolve, but the basic principals remain. In the end, the value of a given book cannot be based upon how many copies that are read, such a measure is meaningless. If only one high-level manager in a major corporation radically changed the attitudes of the company because he read this book, then it will have been a success, perhaps not for the Authors and the Publisher, but certainly for the employees and the employer who are the beneficiaries. There are not many of these books I can get through much less agree with, this work is a worthwhile exception. The employees and their state of mind toward what they do and whom they do it for cannot be overstated. Without the people to implement the ideas, create the innovations, and then deliver the product, nothing exists other than a mediocrity of a company who's short lifespan is directly related to the sensitivity of its executives toward their most valuable resource, their people.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
How to Become an Employer of Choice Surpasses Expectations, June 23, 2000
This review is from: How to Become an Employer of Choice (Hardcover)
When I read a management book, I want concepts to jump out at me; I don't want to have to search through obscure language to find the nuggets. I don't need a bunch of theory; I want to know what the authors are thinking, how that might work for me, and how I can put it to work. Practical. I appreciate illustrative examples that help me understand and absorb the key points. How to Become an Employer of Choice exceeded my expectations! The book was recommended to me by a friend who is already putting the principles to work in his company, and is considering applying for formal recognition. This book is enlightening and straightforward at the same time; educational, yet tightly written. The content, addressing step-by-step how to reposition your company in the employment marketplace, was right on-target. As a marketer by nature, I appreciated the potential impact of each aspect the authors presented. Employers really do have to re-think how they recruit and hold employees. I agree that this is a marketing issue, but that it has to be genuine-the company really does have to be worthy of being chosen by discriminating applicants. The book is filled with call-out boxes (I like the gray shading) with real-world examples supporting their points. I learned so much! The index is comprehensive. I was able to easily find some parts I wanted to go back to after my first read.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Getting Great Results by Adding and Keeping Great Employees, June 21, 2000
This review is from: How to Become an Employer of Choice (Hardcover)
This book is the best resource I have seen on all of the ways that companies and employees can create a symbiotic relationship whereby the employee enjoys a place to perform great things while the company benefits from great results. If you believe that the best solution for winning the competitive battles is to have the best people, and help them perform at their highest level, you must read this book! If you just think that it is the right thing to do to create a great workplace and improve upon what you have now, you must also read this book! Unlike other books I have read on this subject, the authors here really understand what today's employees are looking for in all dimensions: a company they can trust and be proud of; a culture that inspires and liberates them to do better work with less stress; exciting, enlightened leadership with a clear vision; thoughtful, individualized care of each person's issues; meaningful tasks that match the person's skills and interests; competitive compensation and benefits (especially the latter); and a place where everyone can make a difference in the world. Numerous surveys and interviews with those who measure employee attitudes helped the authors to locate these areas and to flesh them out with the most important elements for today. The book goes on to give excellent advice on how to get started in implementing these concepts, and have to track and improve on your progress. I heartily endorse the section on measurements in the back. The book is filled with many short examples (printed in the margins) that clarify the book's points. I found them all quite valuable and interesting. Many included companies that I did not already know about. The research for the book is impeccable, drawing on both superb books in the subject area and interviews with outstanding practitioners and experts. If you combine all of the suggested elements in ways that are meaningful to those who work in your company, you will have established a future best practice by moving past today's best practices in this area. While many companies do some of these things, no one is taking the challenge as broadly as the authors suggest. I suspect that this book will help establish a new and higher employer standard in tight labor market areas like technically-based companies in areas like Silicon Valley. The good news is that you will be repaid for your efforts by having better results. Pareto has helped us appreciate that 20 percent of the people produce 80 percent of the results. If you have those 20 percent, and add the 20 percent of the practices that will make them even more productive, you will have amazingly good benefits to pay for these changes. I think you'll be glad you did. Start enjoying your workplace today by applying the principles in this book!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
|
