Help Your Employees Help YOU ... - Human Nature At Work
Help Your Employees Help YOU Attract TalentA Guide to Cultivating Employer Brand AmbassadorsDavid Lee, HumanNature@WorkYou know that good, qualified talent is hard to find, and you probably also know that the best leads come from within. In fact, referred candidates are 55% faster to hire, and after two years, retention of referred employees is 25% higher than those recruited through a job board. So it’s no surprise that 82% of employers rate employee referrals above all other sources for generating the best return on investment.Given that engaged employees are your best source of talent, are your employees your number one source of quality job applicants?If not, it’s time to examine your current Employee Referral Program and…whether you are creating the kind of employee experience that creates, in the words of Ken Blanchard, “Raving Fans,”In this session, we will:Briefly cover The Why, so you can communicate the importance of doing this well to managementBriefly explore what’s working in the world of Employee Referral Programs (beyond simply bribing people to recommend others)Briefly cover the all-important foundational question: “Are you actually delivering the kind of work experience that would lead employees to recommend you to their talented friends?”Explore how to use stories to make your Employer Branding message more believable and compelling. How to help your employees help you identify Employer Branding stories and then how to help them use them to become part of your recruiting team.The WHY: Building Your Case for Creating an Effective Employee Referral Program(Note: all underlined items in this handout are clickable links)22 Stats To Build Your Case for an Employee Referral Program8 Most Important Employee Referral StatisticsThe Incredible True Value of an Employee Referral (Infographic)Employee Referral Program Best PracticesSeven Brilliant Employee Referral Program ExamplesThe Top 20 Employee Referral Program Best PracticesThe Complete List of Employee Referral Program Best Practices (Part 1 of 2)The Complete List of Employee Referral Program Best Practices (Part 2)(note: Dr. John Sullivan, the author of the above two part article, is one of the leading thought leaders in attracting, retaining, and engaging talent)Employee Referral Program Best Practices (continued)Are You Actually Delivering The Kind Of Work Experience That Would Lead Employees To Recommend You To Their Talented Friends?“Though there have been some slight ebbs and flows, less than one-third of U.S. employees have been engaged in their jobs and workplaces during these 15 years… Employee engagement has barely budged in years.”Source: Worldwide Employee Engagement Crisis by the Gallup Organization How To Use Stories To Make Your Employer Branding Message More Believable and Compelling“The most powerful tool for selling referral prospects are authentic compelling stories about the firm. The first step is to develop an electronic story inventory so that employees can easily access your compelling stories. You should also develop a process that allows employees to contribute new stories by creating a spread-the-love website or wiki. The goal is to provide employees with access to an abundant number of stories, best practices, and examples for use in selling prospects (Zappos & Microsoft).Source: The Complete List of Employee Referral Program Best Practices (Part 1 of 2) by Dr. John SullivanThe Difference between Abstract Concepts, Examples, and StoriesAbstract Concept—Examples of an abstract concept include words and phrases like “integrity,” “commitment to excellence,” “respect,” and “In this organization, employee input matters.”While these are helpful starting points when describing your culture or what makes you a great place to work, they are not sufficient. They can mean anything to anybody, which…as the saying goes…results in them meaning nothing. They need to be fleshed out with concrete, specific examples and stories.Examples—Examples are concrete descriptions of conceptual terms that briefly describe what the term looks and sounds like in real life. So for instance: “One of the things I love about working here is that your voice matters, no matter how new you are on the job or young in your career. When I first came here, I would be in meetings with people who have ten, twenty, or even thirty years more experience than I did. I would feel kind of intimidated since I was fresh out of college. But then Greg (the President) would say ‘Hey Nicole…what do you think about this?’ It felt so good to have that happen. When I would tell my friends about that, they would say where they work, it seems like you have to be in the field for ten years before they want to hear anything from you.”Notice how, with the example, you could picture the scenario playing out, as if you were watching a movie. It makes the abstract concept—and claim—“Your opinion matters in this organization no matter how new you are” much more real, believable, and compelling.Stories—Stories are more concrete and specific (and usually longer) than examples. They describe a specific incident that illustrates the conceptual term or a single specific incident of your example. So for instance, let’s say you were interviewing Nicole, and when you asked her about what makes her employer a great place to work, she gave you the above example. That’s better than her just saying “You feel like your ideas matter here,” because you now have something concrete to picture in your mind. However, it’s not connected to a particular incident, a particular context, and it doesn’t have enough details to make it a story, with a beginning, middle, and end.So in this case, you might follow up with “Can you tell me about a time that happened?” She might answer with this story:“Sure…it actually happened the first week I was here. The marketing team met to talk about new ways to communicate to the community that we are not just a great brewery that makes an amazing product, but that we also are a super fun place to work, and a committed citizen who cares about making Toronto the best place in the world to visit and work. As the veteran team members were tossing ideas around, I was being quiet. Even though I was bursting with ideas and opinions, I didn’t want to seem like the new grad who thinks they know everything. But… I was also thinking ‘I need to show I can add value and will make a contribution here.’ But still…I’m feeling pretty intimidated…Then, Greg goes “Hey Nicole…you have a unique perspective here being brand new and being of a different generation than the rest of us here. What are your thoughts about this?’ Right then and there I knew I was in the right place. I knew I had made the right decision….What strengthened that conviction more was when, later…. I shared what happened in the meeting with friends who had also started jobs and they said how different the vibe is where they work…it’s like ‘Hey get to work and after you have about ten years under your belt…come back and start offering your two cents…’…After a few times of that happening, I started to feel totally comfortable speaking up and am always thinking about ways to help us get our message out in creative ways…Knowing that your ideas are valued and that you are seen as an important Player even fresh out of college makes work so much more fun than if you’re just expected to be a little worker bee…”See how the story is both more interesting and more memorable than the general example that doesn’t have the details and context? That’s why you want to push for actual situations, i.e. stories, than just examples.Types of Stories You Want to GatherThose that illustrate your cultural values and culture’s personality in action.Those that show how you satisfy key drivers of employee attraction and engagement (both in general, for A-List Talent, and for specific demographics and professions), including:The need for meaning and purpose – they are part of an organization that makes a difference, that makes the world a better place. Being part of something greater than ourselves is a core human need.The need to matter—not only does their employer make a difference, but they make a difference. They understand and feel the impact that their work has on the big picture. Their ideas and opinions matter. The need to experience mastery and self-efficacy—They have what they need to perform at their best and have the intrinsically rewarding experience of mastery and efficacy on a regular basis The need to feel proud of where they work, who they work with, and what they do—This is especially important to satisfy if you want to attract A List talent.The need for belonging—While not everyone has a strong need for camaraderie in the workplace, human beings are creatures of belonging and community. The need for autonomy—Research shows that the more self-directed and autonomous employees are, the more productive and happy they will be.The need to be valued as an individual—Employees who feel valued as an individual human with their own personality, needs, challenges, and personal life—rather than just seen as being a “means to an end” like an app or a machine—are far more likely to feel bonded to their supervisor and employer, want to do their best work, and recommend their employer to others.The desire for professional growth opportunities—This is especially important both for younger employees who understand that their employability and career trajectory depends on their continuing to add to their skill portfolio. The need to be intellectually stimulated—While not everyone has this need, or at least this need to be satisfied at work, this is very important for high quality employees. Thus work that involves ongoing opportunities to solve problems, seek better ways of doing things, and innovate is far more engaging and rewarding. The need for personal and professional respect—Few things create resentment and disengagement more effectively than treating an adult like a child. Conversely, being treated with respect both as a human and as a professional, and being treated as an equal worthy of respect regardless of one’s position, have a huge impact on employee loyalty and engagement.The need for appreciation—While individuals vary in how they like to receive appreciation, being appreciated is a fundamental human need. When we take people’s efforts and accomplishments for granted, we communicate “You don’t matter, and what you do doesn’t matter.” Conversely, when we express appreciation, at its most basic level, we communicate: “I see you” and “You matter.”The desire for flexibility and enough time away from work to have a personal life—This is especially important to younger talent.Sources of StoriesEmployeesLeadershipCustomers/Clients/Patients(for the power of customer stories to boost morale, check out Dr. Adam Grant’s outstanding article How Customers Can Rally Your Troops )Gathering Stories: Questions to Ask Employees“Can you share an example of…”Why you enjoy working hereWhat makes this place different—and better—than other places you’ve workedAn interaction with your supervisor that speaks to either what a great supervisor they are or, in general, how great management is this organizationAn interaction with senior leadership which shows how great they areWhy you are proud to work hereHow your work brings a sense of meaning and purpose…that feeling of “What I do matters”? Why you feel inspired by, and proud of, the difference we make in the worldHow you are encouraged and supported to grow professionally here, both externally through courses and seminars, and internally through projects, stretch opportunities, mentoring, etc.How your supervisor shows they care about you as a person and your well-beingHow you feel valued by this organization, both as a contributor and as an individual human being.How leadership shows respect for your right to have a life outside of work.Gathering Stories: Questions to Ask EmployeesThe high quality of colleagues you get to work with, and why you are proud to be part of this team.You have a voice here, how your ideas and input are requested, valued, and used.How leadership demonstrates integrity, demonstrates they care about “doing the right thing.”What makes this an inspiring place to work.How you have the opportunity to do great things here.How you are shown respect in ways that go beyond other places you’ve worked.How you get what you need to “rock your job” vs. having all kinds of obstacles and lack of support which makes it hard to do your job wellHow people are held accountable for both performance and behavior…i.e. we have high standards and hold people to themHow employees are appreciated and recognized for working hard and doing great workOther Questions You Could Ask?ExerciseWith your partner or small group, share stories that illustrate any or all of the following:Why you love where you work; what makes it a great place to workWhy you are proud of your employerThe good that your organization does in the world—whether for your customers, clients, or patients, or in your communityWhat did you notice about the stories you heard?What ones were especially compelling and why?If you were coaching the person telling the story, what recommendations would you make to make it more compelling?Examples of Stories You Heard or Thought Up, and Ideas You Might Implement Next StepsInterview employees, especially your A-List Talent to find out if you are delivering an employee experience that would make them want to refer people to you and if not, what needs to change for this to be the case. Note: the quality of the information you get from interviews is hugely dependent on the skill of the interviewr.Review best practices lists and articles to see how you can improve how you communicate to your employees the importance of your Employee Referral Program, and how to use the program. Involve employees in creating ways to recognize and celebrate employees who refer.Educate employees on the importance of using stories to communicate your Employer Brand, and the kinds of stories you want to gather and utilize.Interview employees for examples and stories, using the questions provided as well as others you come up with.Gather stories from customers, clients, or patients that speak to the good that your organization does in the world and what makes you are great organization.Curate these stories, using keywords to categorize them.Ask employees to be on the lookout for situations that arise that would make for a great Employer Branding story and share these with whoever is your “Story Keeper”. It is much easier to identify “This would make a great story to use to communicate what makes us a great place to work” than it is to try to recall from one’s past stories that could be used.Continually share the best stories you get with all employees, in meetings, organization-wide communications, on your intranet, and on your recruiting page.Teach your employees how to tell your best Employer Branding stories and examples.Resources by David Lee That Build Upon ThisVideosHow to Keep Your A-List Talent From Exiting Stage Left – 45 minute webinar recordingHow to Conduct “Help ME Help YOU Help US” Conversations – 40 minute webinar recording Managing Millennials: Resources for Managers and HR Professionals - 60 minute webinar recordingPodcastHCIPodcast: Storytelling and the Employer BrandArticlesEmployer Branding and StorytellingSelling Your Employer Brand: The Power You Find in Stories and Sound Bites What We Can Learn About Branding From a Super Bowl CommercialMake Your Employer Branding and Onboarding More Fascinating With a Compelling Origin StoryThe Tooth Fairy and Other Talent Management TalesArticles (continued)Employer Branding and Storytelling (continued)Show Them ‘Everybody Matters’ When It Comes to Your Brand – While this articles talks about how each employee is a potential brand ambassador, the story in it is a great example of a simple story you can use to describe your culture.Five Kinds of Stories To Tell During Onboarding – While this article focuses on onboarding, these same stories are an important part of your Employer Branding story portfolio.Using Storytelling to Make Onboarding More Inspiring and Effective – Chapter from the third edition of The Talent Management HandbookEmployee EngagementHow HR Can Save Us from Employee Engagement’s #EpicFailThe (Largely Unopened) Gift Millennials Are Offering Employers HYPERLINK "" 15 Employee Engagement Truths Employers Ignore at Their Own PerilFor Greater Employee Engagement, Do These Two Simple ThingsStop Using the Goodies, Gimmicks, and Gala Events Approach to Employee Retention HYPERLINK "" What You Need to Ask Before You Do Another Employee Engagement SurveyWhy You Need to Customize the Employee ExperienceWhy Your Employees Are Just Not That Into You – This article from 2012 was ’s third most popular article. It identifies seven common mistakes that organizations make that lead to employee disengagement.Why Your Employees Are Not That Into You (2.0) – This 2016 article focuses on a different aspect of disengagement than the 2012 article above. It reflects the increasing focus of my work on the relational aspect of management and employee engagement and how transactional, “all business” ways of interacting with employees are a major source of disengagement.?About David Lee-95258636000 David Lee, the founder of HumanNature@Work, helps employers improve employee engagement, customer service, and morale, though his work as a trainer, consultant, and coach.He is an internationally recognized authority on organizational and managerial practices that optimize employee performance. David is the author of Managing Employee Stress and Safety, and Powerful Storytelling Techniques for Trainers (ATD Press, out of print), as well as over one hundred articles and book chapters on employee and organizational performance that have been published in North America, Europe, India, Australia, and China. Both the second and third editions of The Talent Management Handbook have chapters by him on onboarding, including one on the use of storytelling and onboarding.In addition to his own work with both high performance and struggling organizations, David Lee draws from a broad range of scientfic and peak performance disciplines. Much of his work involves synthesizing scientific research on human nature and then translating these principles into practical strategies for optimizing individual and organizational performance. To capture the impact understanding human nature makes, David borrows from the popular TV show The Dog Whisperer, and explains “Understanding human nature helps you become a People Whisperer, and by doing so, dramatically improves your ability to get the best results from others (and yourself).”Recently, his work on what makes organizations resilient and employees perform at their best has focused on the central role productive relationships and productive conversations have on these outcomes, with this being the take away message:“Every better business result you want requires having a better conversation.”For information about David Lee’s services:Phone: David@Email: 207-571-9898Linkedin: ................
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