Attracting and retaining top talent (high performers) is essential in 2014 to the success of the life of an organization. We are challenged to define employee engagement within our own organizations and to understand what drives engagement for our high performers.
People plug into their work for different reasons, so understanding the connection between our people and their work can help create the bridge between high performers and the organizations goals; attract top talent to the organization and engage and retain those top performers within our organizations.
Back in 1989 Robin Williams character “John Keating” from “Dead Poets Society” challenged us to constantly look at things differently; to stand up on the table to “see” the other possible perspectives.
A possible table top perspective of today’s high performers is that they are looking for an interesting place to land. They want to expand and grow their skills, continually participate in the development of the business while feeling that they belong and their voice counts. They want an “experience” at work, not just a “to do” list. Simply put, they don’t want to just wake up and make the donuts. They want to participate in the creation of the recipes, the design of the processes and the management of the customer relationships.
So the next time you are sitting in that meeting room participating in a discussion about employee engagement, remember to challenge yourself to be a Dead Poet – stand up on the table and offer a new perspective!!