I am chatting with three CEOs recently and all are “returning to the office” meaning that in the new world of full vaccination they have re-opened offices and are trying to get back to normal.
They have issued recalls — demanded employees return to the office like back in pre-COVID normal times.
Normal? Haha. Sure, normal.
Further to the blog post I made the other day as it related to the tech worker union situation at Kickstarter and BuzzFeed, I had a couple of very informative emails from folks in the trenches and I’d like to expound on several things.
First, I stand by my assertion that the issue of tech worker unions is driven by the full employment economy we find ourselves in, but there are a myriad of other considerations. Here’s what I think is going on:
1. No question that full employment is a driver. The power is shifting from employers to workers with full employment. We see this in the JOLTS report.
Thanks D Short and Advisor Perspectives. Thank you.
From a macro perspective — broader than just tech — we continue to have more job openings than we can fill (and we have filled a lot of jobs); we have a very flat number of layoffs and discharges, but the number of people quitting their jobs is rising and has been since 2010.
What this indicates is workers are quitting to take a better job. How do you define a better job — compensation, increased responsibility, better company, better working conditions, shorter commute? Some of these these are things unions promise they can deliver.
Big Red Car here in the wet and gray ATX reading the Beige Book.
Oh, you don’t read the Beige Book? How quaint.
The Beige Book is the Summary of Commentary on Current Economic Conditions authored by individual Federal Reserve Districts.
The Chicago District had a mention of “ghosting.”
Big Red Car here on a day with brilliant sunshine, bit of a chill, and off to church to pray for all of us. Glorious Sunday!
So, the other day we were talking with some overcaffeinated CEOs about hiring.
One point that was left off was the utilization of recruiting as a part of the hiring mindset.
This is you with a candidate in recruiting mode. You are a beast, the King of the Jungle. But, hey, you knew that, right?
When the lion lays down with the lamb, the lamb is not going to get much sleep. Recruitment, back on topic.
Stop — recruiting is different than hiring.
Big Red Car here on a gray, cold day in the ATX. Brrr, it’s 47F (feels like 42F), the start of the next Ice Age — please send some global warming, talking to you, Al Gore.
Recently, the Big Red Car was talking to a gaggle of CEOs (gaggle is 4 or more for CEOs) and the subject was hiring. Hiring of top people in an organization which was out of the cradle and able to walk.
You know like: crawl, walk, run.
These CEOs were running shops which are going to make it. The question is exactly where. Some of them will be “long balls with men on base.” LBWMOB
So, here’s what we came away with.
Employee Retention II, Big Red Car, really?
Big Red Car here on a glorious Texas day — On Earth as it is in Texas, y’all!
Today, we talk about RUNNING A GOOD COMPANY, the first step to employee retention.
Each post (interjected amongst posts about other relevant and pressing topics) we will cover the next aspect of employee retention as laid out in this post. <<link
It will take us a few days, but we will get through it.
Employee retention, Big Red Car? Sounds boring, BRC.
Big Red Car here touring the great state of Florida — not me, The Boss. Come home, Boss. Get back to work.
So, The Boss is talking to a bunch of his CEOs — brilliant all — and the subject is key employee retention, which The Boss says is just employee retention, key and otherwise.
All of the CEOs say, “I’m a great CEO. Always looking, always scouting for talent, always hiring.”
“What,” asks The Boss, “does that have to do with keeping your people? Employee retention?”
They agree on the answer, “Nothing. It’s just another thing good CEOs are doing — talent spotting. Has nothing to do with keeping the people you already have.”
In 33 years of CEO-ing, you will learn a few things because if you can’t keep your people, you won’t be a CEO for very long. Boom!
Big Red Car here in the beautiful ATX. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, we have a day like today and a day like yesterday.
On Earth as it is in Texas!
Hiring is one of the things about building a great startup that is alluded to with a backhanded swipe of the founders’ hands.
It is an essential consideration. [Do tell, Big Red Car. Give us more, please.] Continue reading
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