The Sales Resource Group’s President, David Johnston, was published again this week in Toronto-based HR publication, The HR Gazette.
David Johnston’s latest article is called Attracting Top Talent: Where Do We Find Another Matt? and considers ways to attract and retain those all-important purple squirrels – the star performers who can make the difference a company’s bottom line.
Here’s an extract from the new article. To read the full post, visit The HR Gazette.
What is it that makes an employee like Matt so hard to find?
The complexities of what attracts and motivates employees are things that keep human resources people in business. However, there is no holy grail to attract a Matt. Each one of us is different and what attracts and motivates one individual is benign to another. After years of involvement with many employees, different businesses and programs, it still comes down to the organization, its management, the nature of the job and the individual. That motivation which is so elusive has to come from within. Trying to find the “right” plan or program to do the job can only reward or motivate some of the staff.
The key is creating the environment where employees can motivate themselves. While it is often very difficult to create and it requires considerable time and resources, when it is present, people like Matt want to be a part of it. They thrive in it, it excites them and their behavior and performance reflect its presence. Achieving the type of commitment and loyalty that Matt exhibits is partly about him and partly about the organization.