This document discusses how leaders can build a great place to work. It begins by outlining some questions leaders should ask themselves to assess their workplace culture. It then notes that today's American workplace is often fear-based and lacks trust in leadership. The document identifies 12 best practices of great workplaces, including having a strong CEO commitment, hiring for attitude and building trust between employees and management. It argues that any organization can create a great workplace through adopting these practices and prioritizing employees.

1. How Leaders Build a
Great Place to Work
B Ke in Kennemer Principal & Fo nder The People Gro p™By Kevin Kennemer, Principal & Founder, The People Group™

2. Presentation Objectives
• Questions to Ask Yourself• Questions to Ask Yourself
• The State of the American Workplace
• Observations about People• Observations about People
• Common Myths of Great Places to Work
B fit f G t Pl t W k• Benefits of a Great Places to Work
• 12 Best Practices of Great Places to Work
Q & A• Q & A
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Copyright © 2000-2012. The People Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

4. Questions to Ask Yourself…
• Is there a gravitational pull of qualified• Is there a gravitational pull of qualified
applicants towards your company?
• Do you retain your best talent?• Do you retain your best talent?
• Is positive energy circulating within your
lt ?culture?
• Do employees trust company leaders?
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7. It is really uncomplicated…
THE OBSCURE
we eventually see,
THE COMPLETELY OBVIOUSTHE COMPLETELY OBVIOUS
takes longer.takes longer.
Edward R Murrow
The POWER of P3
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Edward R. Murrow
American Broadcaster

8. The State of the American Workplace

9. The State of the American Workplace
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10. VIDEO: This IS NOT a Great Place to Work

11. 7 Realities of Today’s Workplace
According to research by WinningAccording to research by Winning
Workplaces…
1. Fear-based management philosophy
2 Root of considerable burdens on2. Root of considerable burdens on
employees and families
3. Trust and respect is breaking down
4 < 40% employees believe or trust senior
REALITY OF TODAY’S AMERICAN
4. < 40% employees believe or trust senior
management
5. Employees feel little control
6 T b t k d f il
WORKPLACE
6. Torn between work and family
7. Two thirds regularly experience high
levels of stress on job
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12. Ob ti b t P lObservations about People

13. Observations about People
• Employees prefer a great workEmployees prefer a great work
environment
• Leaders prefer a great work
environment too
• Quality of work
i t/ i henvironment/experience has
major impact on life
• majority of waking hours at• majority of waking hours at
work
• distress at work = stress at
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home

14. Observations about People
• Employees desire to look
f d t i t kforward to going to work every
day
• The Sunday Blues isy
becoming an epidemic
• Question: What happens on
Mondays from 9am to 11am?Mondays from 9am to 11am?
• No one enjoys coming home
from work feeling frustrated
and discouraged fromand discouraged from
work/life
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15. The Great Place to Work Movement
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16. Common Myths of Great Workplaces
• Pay the highest salaries• Pay the highest salaries
• Provide best and most
benefits/perksbenefits/perks
• Company must first be highly
fit bl b f b iprofitable before becoming a
great workplace
• HR creates the corporate
culture
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17. B fit f G t Pl t W kBenefits of Great Places to Work

18. Benefits of a Great Places to Work
• Higher productivityHigher productivity
• Higher profitability
• Better customer satisfaction• Better customer satisfaction
• Lower staff turnover
• On average 50 percent lower than• On average, 50 percent lower than
competitors (Great Place to Work Institute)
• Greater number of applications forpp
each open position
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19. More Benefits…
• Attract higher quality talent• Attract higher quality talent
• Less resistance to change
L h lth t• Lower health care costs
• Lower workers’
compensation costs
• Lower absenteeism rates
• Higher levels of
cooperation
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cooperation

20. Even More Benefits…
• Higher qualityg q y
products/services
• Increased innovation and
i k kirisk taking
• Employee-Customer-Profit
ChainChain
• Increase in Employee
Satisfaction = Increase in
C S i f iCustomer Satisfaction =
Higher Profitability
• (Harvard Business Review)
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21. The Financial Benefits
Graphic Credit: Great Place to Work Institute

22. The Financial Benefits
Graphic Credit: Great Place to Work Institute

23. Here’s the good news…
ANY ORGANIZATION
can create a
GREAT PLACE TO WORK
The POWER of P3
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24. 12 Best Practices of Great Places to Work

25. 12 Best Practices of Great Places to Work
#1 Strong commitment fromg
CEO
• Company culture flows down
ffrom the top
• Top down, not bottom up
#2 Attitude and behavior of#2 Attitude and behavior of
leadership is key variable
• Adopt and model behavior• Adopt and model behavior
• How management relates to its
employees makes the difference
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26. Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh

27. 12 Best Practices of Great Places to Work
#3 High level of trust betweeng
employees and management
#4 Leaders build trust by…
• Sharing information broadly, including
finances, good and bad news
• Being accessible to employees
• Willingness to answer hard questions
• Delivering on promises
• Showing recognition and appreciationg g pp
towards employees
• Demonstrating personal concern
towards employees
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p y

28. Don’t lose it once you’ve got it
TRUST
i d li t dit th tis a delicate commodity that
must bemust be
EARNED DAILY.
Robert Levering
C F d
The POWER of P3
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Co-Founder
Great Place to Work Institute

29. 12 Best Practices of Great Places to Work
#5 Hire for attitude, train for#5 Hire for attitude, train for
skill
#6 Managers are mentors andg
communicators – not
“bosses”
#7 It’s not about management
– it’s about leadership
#8 Provide a sense of family
and belonging
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30. 12 Best Practices of Great Places to Work
#9 Overall sense company has a specialp y p
culture
#10 Management shows a sincere
interest in employees as people
#11 Make work fun, motivate, keep
people focused and attain clear targets
#12 Maintains flexible work
environment
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31. Th k Y !Thank You!
www.thepeoplegroup.com | kevin@thepeoplegroup.com
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