Perspective
People Management for Success
In the rough and tumble world of business, it is easy to overlook the single most important element of success: people.
After all, corporations, governments, non-profits, and business enterprises of all shapes and sizes have one very simple yet profound thing in common. It’s their people who make them tick and it’s their people who make them shine.
As much as we’d like to imagine that it is the right machinery, or the latest information technology platform, or the best location, or the most brilliant business plan that will ensure optimum performance – this is narrow thinking at its worst. In actual fact it’s effective management of the human resources side of the equation that will ensure success.
One of the things that always impressed me about the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) where I work is that it makes good people management practices a number one priority. That means basing compensation plans on effective people management, truly recognizing and rewarding good performance, and focusing on a supportive and communication-rich work environment. It also means putting an organization’s values front and centre, and leading and managing change through effective teamwork and consultation at all levels.
Another top benefit of good people management is that it gives an organization a leg up in the increasingly competitive realm of recruitment. Good human resources practices allow enterprises to attract and retain the best and the brightest employees. In the talent crunch now upon us, it will be the well-managed organizations with the very best people-oriented environments that will win the talent war. You only have to witness the proliferation of “best employer” ranking programs to understand that good people management is making a big difference to the bottom line.
In times of a tight employment market such as we have now, “the shoe is on the other foot” in some respects, as it is the best candidates who are taking a closer look at the HR practices of prospective employers and deciding whether or not they will take the plunge. It used to be an employer-driven environment; now it is employee driven in many respects.
Good employers with good people practices will receive worldwide attention and will reap other rewards as well: satisfied employees, a rock-solid corporate reputation, and ultimately, business success.
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