As many as two-thirds of today’s workers are either actively looking for new jobs or merely going through the motions at their current jobs. While they still show up for work each day, in the ways that count, many have quit. That’s one of the sobering findings revealed in an urgent new book, ONE FOOT OUT THE DOOR: How to Combat the Psychological Recession That’s Alienating Employees and Hurting American Business (AMACOM Books). The author, Judith M. Bardwick, Ph.D., has uncovered a widespread state of worker resentment, vulnerability, and fear afflicting companies across the country. She calls it the “Psychological Recession.”
One reason for this psychological recession is bad management practices – treating people like expendable costs rather than valuable resources and assets. Inspired by what works for innovative, caring, and profitable companies, Dr. Bardwick shares her ideas and specific strategies for fostering employee commitment and restoring people’s trust and confidence-in their company and their future.
Almost all responsible organizations offer their employees traditional incentives like competitive compensation and stock options. But how much do people really value these things? To motivate their employees and create passion among the workforce, companies should create a menu of choices that are meaningful to employees and reflect the company’s values:
Employee priority: I want to keep learning.
- Work that’s different in content, place, or responsibility Challenges that involve some risk
- Assignments that develop interpersonal skills
- College classes on-site and advanced professional education
Employee priority: I want to achieve reasonable security.
- Vacations, salaries, and benefits cut before any major layoffs
- Hiring and promotions based on merit and peer review
- Career counselors available to help increase my value to the organizationBonus pay for achieving goals and treating others with respect
Employee priority: I want to be successful.
- Opportunities to be entrepreneurial and create new projects or businesses
- Opportunities to lead and make decisions
- New positions created to accommodate and showcase special talents
- Acknowledgement of my contributions to my profession and my community
Employee priority: I want my work and my family to flourish.
- Ability to earn a partnership or tenure while working less than full time
- Respect and consideration for dads as well as moms Cutting-edge communication tools so I can work anywhere, any time
- Clear agreed-upon rules in regard to employee accessibility
Employee priority: I want my life as well as my work to have meaning.
- Work that contributes to causes I personally believe in
- Opportunities to see the difference that my work makes
- Paid time off for volunteer commitments Organization that expects employee input and welcomes new ideas
To take restoring faith in work to the next level, Dr. Bardwick broadens her scope to making the American Dream again achievable. Acknowledging the challenges of global interdependence and competition, she advocates creating a 21st-Century Safety Net for the many people who will, at times, find themselves adrift in the turmoil of a rapidly changing economy. Her sweeping plan focuses on reforms in three critical areas: education, healthcare, and the domestic job market.
With ONE FOOT OUT THE DOOR Dr. Bardwick hopes to ignite a national resurgence of pride and personal fulfillment in working for an American company. Bardwick is a highly regarded writer, speaker, and management consultant, and has worked with IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Johnson & Johnson, and 3M, among many clients. She makes her home in La Jolla, California.
For more information about ONE FOOT OUT THE DOOR you can visit the author’s website www.judithbardwick.com or go to AMACOM’s website www.amacombooks.org.
Hat Tip: ENNÂ http://www.enn.com/business/article/24285