Insights Into Human Capital: Running On Empty

Jane Goldner, Ph.D.

July 1, 2008

A   300 horsepower car is fast. A 400 horsepower car takes your breath away – so says a recent ad. Want a company that can attract and retain employees who can take your company into the fast lane?

Drive up to the “BLC” pump.

One of the top concerns of business leaders is attracting and retaining top-notch people. Whether they’re boomers, Gen Xers or Millenials, you need great people. Louis Gerstner, retired CEO of IBM says, “… an organization is nothing more than the collective capacity of its people to create value.”

A BLC organization offers a culture where quality people want to “Belong, Learn and Contribute” to your growth. Your employees are self-motivated to drive your company’s success.

BLC starts with defining and communicating your company’s mission, vision and values, and then connects your goals, projects and initiatives to that core.

Ask employees to define their individual core and how it connects to your company’s core. Seeing how they connect to the organization’s core gives meaning to their work and empowers them to go that extra mile.

Everyone wants a sense of belonging (families, civic and religious organizations). It’s why people, like your employees, work for organizations.


Here’s how you can create a culture of belonging:
• The first day an employee comes to work, have someone introduce them around.
• Each morning say, “Good morning.” You’d be surprised how many bosses don’t acknowledge their employees.
• Make sure employees understand their roles, responsibilities and expectations.
• Sponsor gatherings that include employees’ families.

It’s human nature to want to learn, grow and develop. These days, people can’t afford not to. Your job requirements are always shifting. From an organization standpoint, customers want higher quality, faster and more cost-effective products and services. That requires continuous learning.

Here’s how to provide a learning culture:
• Provide feedback on performance on an ongoing basis. Saving it up for the year performance evaluation is counterproductive.
• Employee training is only one way to develop your people. Consider coaching, temporary assignments and participation on problem solving teams.
• Ask that they teach others.
• Delegate one of your routine responsibilities.

Employees take pride in their work when they believe their contribution makes a difference.

Here are ways you can provide a sense of contribution:
• Clearly articulate how individual roles contribute to the success of the organization.
• Thank people for a job well done.
• Give timely, well-thought-out performance evaluations.
• When individuals go the extra mile, write a personal note, take them to lunch, put a memo in their personnel file, recognize them at a staff meeting, present them with a certificate.

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Jane Goldner, Ph.D., is president of The Goldner Group.

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