HR Management In Action

Four companies from the 2020 Fortune Best Companies to Work are Workiva, Deloitte, Slalom, and Baird. From employee feedback, it is noted that at Workiva, the company places a great deal of effort into developing their employees and investing in their career goals. At Deloitte, employees note that employees at every level are valued. At Slalom, the company culture and strong set of core values are noted. At Baird, employees share that the culture continues to stay strong, even with the expansion the company has undergone since its original founding. 

The book, First, Break All the Rules : What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently, shares that to help measure the strength of a workplace, there are twelve questions that can be asked. These questions relate to employee feelings of being valued, heard, and cared about. If companies are able to do well on these surveys, they will be able to “…attract, focus, and keep the most talented employees” (Buckingham and Coffman, p.17). The feedback being provided by employees from the four companies shares how they feel their talent is valued and invested in by their companies. Employees from these companies feel there is a strong positive culture they are proud to be a part of.

In examining what type of manager I want to be, and which aspects are most challenging, the article “How Google sold its engineers on management,” shares the behaviors strong managers possess. My goals for my management style align with these, as I want to be a good coach for each employee on my team. To me, being a good coach means motivating my employees to put forth their best work and checking in with them to help monitor their progress. I believe the most challenging aspect of a manager’s job is becoming an expert strategist in navigating company goals and the needs of employees. When managers explain the “why” behind company directives and work to maintain a high morale, the manager will be able to utilize HR management to effectively lead their employees to make a positive impact on the company as a whole. 

Sources: 

Buckingham, M., & Coffman, C. (2016). First, break all the rules: What the world’s greatest managers do differently (2016 ed., pp. 7-34). Gallup Press.

Garvin, D. A. (2013). How Google Sold Its Engineers on Management. Harvard Business Review, 91(12), 74-82.

Great Place to Work. (2020). Fortune 100 best companies to work for 2020. Great Place to Work. https://www.greatplacetowork.com/best-workplaces/100-best/2020