No unhappy staff

"There’s an equation in business that many organisations and managers use involving profits, goods and services, and people. It appears to me that most businesses get this equation wrong because they put profits first, then goods and services, then the people who work for them. But the most successful organisations, the best places to work, the world’s greatest leaders will all tell you the same thing – put people first."

"It’s one thing to say you do it, but do you behave like you do, and do your people believe it."

After a survey in which 68% of the staff said they were happy, Kendall’s firm decided to find out where they were going wrong with the other 34% - and then put them in charge of getting it right. The latest survey shows that their new approach works: no unhappy staff.

Kendall says "staff are asked to categorise their issues, and the decisions they want made, into one of four areas:

• Management makes the decision. No questions asked.
• Everyone has input; management has final say.
  
• Everyone has input and we all agree on the outcome.
  
• Everyone has input and staff decide the outcome. Management butts out."
  

Extracts from a piece in NZ Management (Sept 09): On People Ahead of Profit, by Annette Kendall.