In his book, \u201cWhat Were They Thinking?\u00a0 Unconventional Wisdom About Management,\u201d author Jeffrey Pfeffer devotes a chapter to \u201cmaking companies more like communities.\u201d\u00a0 His premise is that a company\u2019s human capital is the key to its success, and the key to attracting and retaining the best people is to develop a caring, community-like culture.\u00a0 In a close-knit community, people form relationships . . . they help one another, support one another, and protect one another.\u00a0 They celebrate and grieve together, and in general, treat one another like extended family.\u00a0 But American companies, Pfeffer contends, are wary of letting their employees personal lives intrude too much into their professional lives.\u00a0 So while CEOs pay lip service to the importance of employee loyalty, they see the relationship between the company and its employees as mostly transactional . . . if you do this, I\u2019ll pay you that.\u00a0 They fear it would cost too much to go beyond that and start building real, human relationships.<\/p>\n
If you believe it\u2019s a good idea to keep the personal lives of your people at arm\u2019s length, you should probably stop reading here.\u00a0 If not, please read below.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no talent shortage if you\u2019re a great place to work.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong>– Tom Peters<\/p>\n It\u2019s true.\u00a0 Or as business consultant Malcolm Moore has said, \u201cPeople don\u2019t leave jobs they love.\u201d\u00a0 So what are companies doing to develop more caring, community-like cultures?\u00a0 Consider a few examples:<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0A company holds a fund drive to collect money from employees, matched by the corporation, to help employees who are financially stressed due to an illness.\u00a0 People who have been helped in this way say it\u2019s not just the financial support, but the emotional support as well that helps them get through a tough time. So maybe the conventional CEO wisdom cited above . . . that building a community-like culture is too expensive . . . is correct.\u00a0 After all, this stuff does cost something in real dollars, time, and effort.\u00a0 Besides, we\u2019re trying to run a business here, not a Day Care Center for adults, for cryin\u2019 out loud!<\/p>\n OK, then forget any altruistic motives here.\u00a0 Let\u2019s just look at this as cold-hearted, hard-nosed business people.\u00a0 Where\u2019s the ROI in this community stuff?<\/p>\n 1.\u00a0A community-like culture will create more loyalty and goodwill than a paycheck alone will ever create. Fundamentally, we\u2019re all social creatures.\u00a0 We enjoy the camaraderie and interaction that comes when we\u2019re in a group, particularly when we feel we\u2019re a welcome, valued member of the group.\u00a0 In fact, we could argue that we are the sum total of all the \u201ccommunities\u201d we\u2019ve ever belonged to.\u00a0 Consider what might be the ultimate community, the Marine Corps.\u00a0 As they say, there is no such thing as an ex-Marine.\u00a0 People who served in the Corps tend to be fiercely loyal to it long after they take off the uniform.\u00a0 Likewise, people feel strong bonds to the schools they attended, to their places of worship, and to charitable or civic organizations they have served.<\/p>\n So, will your company simply be a way station your employees pass through as they move between communities?\u00a0 Or will yours be a close-knit community that makes people want to plant their flag and stay awhile?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In his book, \u201cWhat Were They Thinking?\u00a0 Unconventional Wisdom About Management,\u201d author Jeffrey Pfeffer devotes a chapter to \u201cmaking companies more like communities.\u201d\u00a0 His premise is that a company\u2019s human capital is the key to its success, and the key to attracting and retaining the best people is to develop a caring, community-like culture.\u00a0 In<\/p>\n
\n\u2022\u00a0At another company, employees get birthday cards from the company.\u00a0 They also get a note, a call, or both from a senior manager if they experience a significant life event, happy or sad.
\n\u2022\u00a0What about a company that on a new employee\u2019s first day of work, sends flowers to the employee\u2019s spouse (male or female) with a note welcoming them to the \u201cfamily.\u201d\u00a0 The same company invites family members to attend every major business meeting and function.
\n\u2022\u00a0\u201cRoad warriors\u201d get special treatment at another company.\u00a0 In recognition of the sacrifices a family makes when an employee must travel extensively, the company provides gifts and \u201cRoad Warrior Points.\u201d
\n\u2022\u00a0Yet another company allows its employees time off to attend their children\u2019s school events . . . athletic competitions, school plays, etc.<\/p>\n
\n2.\u00a0Loyalty and goodwill begets lower employee turnover.
\n3.\u00a0Lower turnover means you\u2019re spending less on recruiting and training costs.
\n4.\u00a0Lower turnover also means more efficient operations because work is being done by experienced people rather than new trainees.
\n5.\u00a0Loyalty and goodwill will also help you deliver better customer service.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t believe that, just ask Southwest Airlines.<\/p>\n