Romania - People Management article

Romania - People Management article

How can top managers make their employees more productive?

It is good to read that the Romanian economy is growing fast and GDP growth is expected to exceed 9% in 2008.

Productivity in return for continuing salary rises is a deeper challenge because communications and exhortation from the top is unlikely to make the changes necessary.

In our view increasing productivity is a function of these elements being in place:

a working environment which enables people to do their best work i.e the physical aspects of temperature, desk or bench design, rest rooms, canteens, lighting and sound levels. A good environment shows you care about your People.

Equipment - having the right IT and other services particularly those which are critical to enabling a group of employees to produce but which are dependent on another department

Good colleagues. The better the team around you the more likely you are to want to do your best. One or two people with negative attitudes can lower the mood of others

First line supervisors. The immediate bosses of your people are critical to their productivity. How they feel will be reflected in how the team feels. If they know no more than the latter then they cannot inspire and can only fall back on discipline and process.

Leadership and management communications. What is the aim of the work and the reasons for having pride in doing it? What are customer expectations? How does management recognise the quality of their people?

Measurement and incentives. How is output measured both as a team and as individuals? What is the result when performance is exceptional and how is it celebrated?

How can the standing of the Employer Brand help to reduce people turnover?

First of all, the 'branding' of the organisation as a place to work cannot by itself reduce turnover.

Just as a poor product will fail whatever advertising and promotion it is given so will an Employer Brand if the core ingredients of the working experience are not what it represents. We believe that the effectiveness of the EB is a function of four key ingredients:

1. That it is distinctive. What is it about the employment experience you offer which is different to those who are seeking the same skills?
2. That it is compelling. A great brand should have a number of key attributes and reasons to believe them which make a powerful offer to any candidate.
3. That it is the truth. People at work know the weaknesses of the business and you will offend them by describing an experience which they do not recognise as reality
4. That it accommodates the future. Your brand should have an element of what we call 'aspirational reality' where exciting ideas and the potential development are possible in the future

What are the specific steps necessary to create an effective EB?

We have a clear and proven process for this work which we call the EB Roadmap

The key steps are these:

Clarify the objectives for the business and the people you will need to achieve them

Establish what you can do and what you cannot egg if you part of a big global group

Join up your thinking across HR, Marketing, Internal communications and Line Management. You cannot build an EB on your own

Build a brand insight platform which will identify the key attributes on which you can build your brand

Define the specific promise and why people should believe it. NB there will be aspects of the employment experience which you will need to adjust or change in order to make the promise a reality. Ensure that these are accepted by senior management and action is agreed.

Tailor the proposition so that it is relevant to specific skills, locations and businesses within your group.

Manage the EB identity

Ensure coherent delivery across the functions and departments. This is the heart of good brand management and includes good measurement and communications.

Your are not alone on this path. Many of the worlds greatest employers like Pepsico, Unilever or Vodafone are following it! Yet these basic steps can apply to the smallest organisations.