6 Steps to Becoming a Great Place to Work

A helpful column by Jack Welch from a few years ago. Here are the six points, with some of Welch’s comments as well:

  1. Preferred employers demonstrate a real commitment to continuous learning. No lip service. These companies invest in the development of their people through classes, training programs, off-site experiences, all sending the message that the organization is eager to facilitate a steady path to personal growth.
  2. Preferred employers are meritocracies. Pay and promotions are tightly linked to performance. . . . People with brains, self-confidence, and competitive spirit are always attracted to such environments.
  3. Preferred employers not only allow people to take risks but also celebrate those who do. And they don’t shoot those who try but fail. As with meritocracies, a culture of risk-taking attracts exactly the kind of creative, bold employees companies want and need in a global marketplace where innovation is the single best defense against unrelenting cost competition.
  4. Preferred employers understand that what is good for society is also good for business.
  5. Preferred employers keep their hiring standards tight.
  6. Preferred companies are profitable and growing.

“The best thing about being a preferred employer is that it gets you good people, and this launches a virtuous cycle. The best team attracts the best team, and winning often leads to more winning.”

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October 17, 2011 | Filed Under Leadership | 2 Comments 

Comments

2 Responses to “6 Steps to Becoming a Great Place to Work”

  1. josh on October 17th, 2011 8:08 am

    Consistently love what I read here Matt!
    Great article! I probably need to reader the full version. As you read it and thought through it, how would someone in the middle (me) positively influence the leadership for this kind of work environment? Where does this mentality start…at the top?

  2. Matt on October 17th, 2011 1:19 pm

    Great question! This mentality _should_ start at the top, but it often doesn’t. So I think everyone in the organization, at all levels, can and should play a positive role in helping to bring about this type of environment.

    One suggestion for those in the middle (or, two): Do amazing work, be remarkable in it, and clearly demonstrate your value through making a significant contribution to the organization. This is not only right in itself, but also expands your platform for advocating for good leadership practices.

    Second, I’d give lots of focus to point 1, continual learning, and do lots of independent reading and learning (taking some of those $200 one-day seminars sometimes as well), and then looking for insertion points to share what you have learned in a way that will help co-workers and those above you be more effective in their roles and projects. Tim Sanders gives lots of helpful points on this in his book _Love is the Killer App_.

    By demonstrating the value of continual learning, you will help shape the culture in that direction more and more — and so forth with the rest of the items.

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