One key learning for all of us, as this tough year draws to a close, is that we need to start looking inwards and putting staff back at the heart of our organisations.
The importance of having good and talented people in our organisations, and nurturing them, seems to have got lost somewhere in all the change and turmoil.
The recent financial crisis, and its knock-on effects, has shaken UK organisations to the core and priorities are changing as a result. We now know that a combination of reckless capitalism, combined with a disregard for the potential consequences of green — as demonstrated by the bonus scandal and unrestrained borrowing — helped fuel the meltdown.
To ensure our organisations are best placed to take advantage of the upturn, when it comes, a priority should be minimising the potential for 'brain drain' — stopping staff who feel unappreciated from looking elsewhere for employment once the job market picks up. We need to keep hold of our best people.
Investing in the development of staff is vital for organisations to be in the best possible position to take advantage of the upturn when it comes. Our most recent member survey shows that managers are already taking this on board. Their priorities for the New Year include things like providing more immediate support to boost their employees' performance, saying 'thank you' more often and spending more time with colleagues — all key to engaging employees.
The Guardian