OK, what’s your company’s bench strength (or your department’s bench strength)? Or, stated another way, what’s your track record for growing people from within? I’m focusing on growing your Supervisory bench strength and growing your first-line non-exempt workforce.
It’s being written about more and more lately that increasing retention in the workplace is directly rooted in making the new hire feel valued, respected, and “a part of something”, or that they feel a sense of belonging within their new coworker group.
And when you think about your “potential supervisor group” or your “potentially promotable backup squad”; what grade do you give your company or give yourself?
If your bottom line is a priority at the front of your mind, I hope you realize that investing in people is the ROI with the highest measurable impact on your business.
But, just putting names on an organization chart isn’t enough. Some questions for you:
Do you give them training in the skills and techniques that will serve both the organization and them?
Do they know you see POTENTIAL in them?
Do they know “what Good Looks like” in business performance terms?
Do they know you expect them to develop the talent reporting to them?
Some of these things can be delivered by YOU, in-house. Some will be best served if you provide virtual or on-site training in these skill areas. And, training from the outside may be recognized as an investment in them.
So, my closing question is “What are you doing to build for the future”?