Page 72 - How America's Best Places to Work Inspire Extra Effort in Extraordinary Times

What Separates the Best from the Rest? C59

tion that led to this book, but it gives some longitudinal insight into
changing employee perceptions through the years about what engages
them at work.
Although the highest-ranked engagement drivers have remained
relatively unchanged over the last five years, there are two significant
exceptions: in employee perceptions about senior leadership and in per-
sonal well-being and employee benefits. To be sure, winning companies
are doing a far better job of meeting these needs, as reflected in their
higher scores.
Regarding perceptions about the senior leadership of organizations,
employees most commonly would say:

: Today . . .
Ten Years Ago . . .
I’m interested in having senior leaders
I am keenly aware of the senior leader-
that are competent and have a plan to
ship of our company; and when I feel I
can trust and be confident in them, that
move us forward. I’m probably more
connected to my direct supervisor
they care more about the company than
and whether she or he cares about
about me as a human being, I’m much
my growth and development. their self-interest, and that they care
more willing to trust where they’re trying
to take our company.

How to explain the higher standards and expectations of today? In
the past few years, as companies have failed, many in the workforce
have come to see CEO compensation as bloated and undeserved.
News media have fed the public a steady stream of images featuring
leaders being “perp-walked” to jail for corporate abuse. So it is cer-
tainly easy to see why employees take a more jaundiced view of their
leaders. Likewise, it is also interesting to note that feeling cared for
by top leaders has now become a rising expectation and part of the
employee engagement narrative. We will pursue this further in the
next chapter, but for now it is clear that employees trust leaders far
more easily when a relationship based on genuine mutual caring is in
place.
Regarding perceptions about their own well-being and the well-
being of their families, employees most commonly would say: