The Crisis is Upon Us

by Jeff Kortes

When making the 8-hour drive home from Western Iowa after speaking on employee retention, I had a lot of time to look at all of the “Now Hiring” signs that lined the main road and were present when I got off the road for gas or food. It appears everyone was hiring. Many had the positives they offer listed like higher wages, comprehensive benefits, 4-day work week, careers, etc. on their advertisements and signs.

I give these organizations credit. They are at least trying to sell what they see as positives that they offer to potential employees. However, to a large extent they are missing what people truly want and has been missing from many workplaces for the past two decades or more. They are missing C.R.A.P…Caring, Respect Appreciation, and Praise. Study after study shows people don’t feel appreciated, that they perceive their boss or organization doesn’t care about them or they feel like a number. No one is speaking to the elements that exist under the umbrella of C.R.A.P.

Employers think that employees want one thing and they really want something else. What companies need to do is train their leaders how to give their employees C.R.A.P. and then have the leaders start doing it. Once that occurs, people will apply because they want C.R.A.P. more than anything. After that, you can look at a 4-day work week, careers, wages etc. Those are all important but not nearly as important as C.R.A.P. It is missing from the culture of most organizations and until it returns most organizations will have a revolving door even if they tinker with the other things mentioned above. Until you give your employees C.R.A.P., everything else doesn’t matter. Why? Because C.R.A.P. Works!