Page 345 - How America's Best Places to Work Inspire Extra Effort in Extraordinary Times

332B RE-ENGAGE

: “This is my second time with the company, and I must say, the
current environment (last five years) is so much different. It’s like
a different firm. The flexibility, work-life balance, and personal
challenges are something that will keep me here for the rest of my
career.”
: “I left here to make more money (a lot) and ended up deeply re-
gretting it. The benefits did not compare, and neither did the
recognition.”
: “I’ve gone from patient transporter to nursing assistant and now
clinical researcher here, starting from when I was 15. I’ve seen the
hospital at its worst in 2001, and now as it is becoming a major
competitor to hospitals with whom we were never able to compete
before.”

Our point in showing these comments is simply to illustrate that
some employers are thrown off course by the winds of change more
than others, and many by their own doing. The main issue we see is
that when faced with frightening prospects, many employers hunker
down just when they need to be demonstrating more commitment to
their workforces. Leaders reduce their focus and investment in the en-
gagement of employees—cutting training, limiting communication,
eliminating benefits, and even losing their ethical bearings. The good
news is that some employers do make dramatic changes for the bet-
ter. Since 2004, we have seen several employers significantly increase
their engagement scores and become Best-Places-to-Work winners over
the course of a single year. Many have realized increased business suc-
cess as a result.

: NEEDED: LEADER COMMITMENT

Becoming a better place to work is not easy. It usually means that
managers need to have courageous conversations, that human re-
sources professionals become more strategic business partners with