Kevin Sheridan - Building a Magnetic Culture: How to Attract and Retain Top Talent to Create an Engaged, Productive Workforce

BUILDING A MAGNETIC CULTURE

HOW TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN TOP
TALENT TO CREATE AN ENGAGED,
PRODUCTIVE WORKFORCE

KEVIN SHERIDAN

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BUILDING A MAGNETIC CULTURE

To become the best in the business, it is essential to employ the best people. A phenomenal team of dedicated employees is truly the foundation for supreme organizational success. While most managers wouldnt argue with this viewpoint, one particular question is harder to agree upon: How do employers build a staff that is ready and able to take the organization to the next level?

The answers lie within this book.

Through 20+ years of Talent Management consulting, conducting hundreds of thousands of employee focus groups with a vast array of organizations, and analyzing the results of millions of employee surveys, I can honestly say the best employers have a lot in common. Whether they have 25 employees or 250,000, the basic elements for successfully attracting, retaining, and engaging employees are much more similar across the board than one might think. While specific Talent Management strategies vary throughout different organizations, top employers reach a higher level of success because of their ability to build a Magnetic Culture.

A Magnetic Culture draws talented employees to the workplace, empowers them, and sustains an environment in which they are more likely to stay. Such a culture is marked by engaged employees who share a strong desire to be part of the value the organization creates.

Although employees are endlessly unique in their personal preferences and goals, there is an overwhelming commonality in the aspects of the workplace that are most closely tied to Employee Engagement, and thus, contribute to building a Magnetic Culture. These similarities hold true for employees across a range of demographics, including age, sex, ethnicity, education level, and tenure at their organization. Commonalities also exist in organizations of all sizes, in a wide range of industries, located all over the world. Considering the multitude of employers and employees, it would be easy to assume one Talent Management strategy wouldnt fit all. While this may be the case, a Magnetic Culture does fit all.

In the following pages, this book illuminates exactly why some organizations become Best-in-Class and others struggle to stay afloat. Success doesnt happen by chance; it is achieved through basic cause-and-effect relationships. There are certain workplace practices that are powerful cultural magnetizers and others that act as detrimental demagnetizers. The first step to making positive changes at your organization is simply to gain a better understanding of how these elements come into play. Every action made by employers impacts their employees perceptions of the value the organization provides. To attract, retain, and engage top talent, you have to offer more value for employees than other organizations. The myriad of ways in which an employer can offer value are the building blocks of creating a culture that is truly magnetic.

Actionable best practices that have been proven to increase Employee Engagement and lead to better business outcomes are found throughout this book. Case studies of top companies and exclusive interviews with seasoned industry leaders allow readers to learn from the best of the best. Additionally, readers will become privy to a revolutionary new concept that is changing the traditional, and, I believe, antiquated approach to Employee Engagement. This concept, in itself, has been the difference maker for many organizations in creating an environment where employees