Aleksander Zadel, PhD, director of C.A.R. institute and partner at Competo
Positive global economic trends are turning HR challenges upside down. It is no longer simply a matter of selecting the right people for our vacancies. It is increasingly seen as a challenge of whether the right people want to work for us. What will the public image of companies be if they will be struggling to attract the right people? If they will be afraid that they would not be selected by the best talents on the market?
Managers are highly rewarded if they successfully manage the company’s financial capital. The bulk of their salaries and any rewards result from tangible indicators reflecting the company’s economic performance. It is clear to everyone that the company’s economic performance is influenced by a number of factors. Some factors have a rapid and direct impact on success/failure. Even though they might be demanding (e.g. cost control), they are visible and the results of good work are immediately noticeable. If they are well managed, this is usually immediately translated into results on which we depend. However, there are also factors that have a long-term and indirect impact on our performance and results. They are more complex or more insidious if you will. Dealing or not dealing with them might not produce immediate impacts. Yet once the impacts of these factors get their teeth into results, we are usually powerless since we generally have limited understanding of how they affect the company.
Good news for all is that companies which want to build an attractive employer brand, will invest heavily in relationships with all employees, not only in talent. The brand image of the company, which primarily takes care of high-quality services, cutting-edge products, customers and employees, will be coupled with business success. Business performance will be the result of concern for stakeholders. It will probably never again be the other way around, i.e. that only economic performance will enable us to take care of employees, high-quality services …
At last, it will be clarified what are causes and what are consequences. We are heading towards a new world.