They Were Both Right!
Oct 31, 2019
By Carol McGlogan
I recently attended an EFC Young Professionals Network (YPN) event held in Toronto where a panel of four industry leaders spoke to the group about lessons learned on their path to leadership, while sharing insights on the changes needed to address the emerging marketplace.
At the end of the session, a question arose from the audience: “What will it take to attract and keep the talent required to move this industry forward?”
The panel’s responses emphasized the need to reinforce our industry’s impact on society. Essentially, to attract top talent, we need to promote the attractiveness of our industry as it relates to new technologies, energy efficiency and sustainability.
The same question was posed to YPN members in the audience — but had very different results. The feedback focused on inclusiveness and development: “to be part of an organization where one can make a difference”, “to be part of an organization where there is an opportunity to grow and develop”, “to be respected”, “to have a positive work/life balance”.
This YPN event came on the heels of EFC completing its “Great Place to Work” assessment. It occurred to me that the principles of the assessment are strongly aligned with the sentiments shared by the YPN audience.
“Great Place to Work” evaluates feedback from employees on the following five pillars:
• Credibility
• Respect
• Pride
• Fairness
• Camaraderie
We were not evaluated on whether we provide free lunches or yoga classes. The evaluation was based on the human connection and trust that people have with the work they perform and the company they work for.
As I reflect on the YPN event, I have come to understand that the panelists and YPN members were both right. It’s true that our industry is hitting a sweet spot when it comes to technology and sustainability. We do power a changing world. It’s also true that we need to feel a connection to our work, have pride in what we do, and to feel appreciated.
Both truths use few words to describe but take significant resources to achieve. Investments in research, development and go-to-market strategies are complicated in this new era of emerging technologies and channels. At the same time, the policies and processes that need to be embedded in organizations to realize the outcomes of credibility, respect, pride, fairness and camaraderie are more about science and execution, rather than what the soft words portray.
EFC’s upcoming research will address these factors to address employability challenges. The research will also address the talent gap in our industry and the required strategies we need to employ to build the workforce of the future.
As well, resources such as the Great Place to Work program allows companies to understand their strengths and weaknesses. As with any tool, the report needs to be followed up with concrete actions that will move the needle in critical areas to improve the workplace and heighten employee satisfaction. It’s not rocket science, but it requires hard, sustained work — and is well worth the effort to keep our companies competitive!
Carol McGlogan is President & CEO, Electro-Federation Canada.
