Host: Wim Kerkhoff
Guest: Steve Pasiciel
SUMMARY
Workplace community and employee retention.
- Steve Pasiciel notes that remote work has led to a loss of community and connection among employees, with many finding alternative sources of community outside of work.
- Wim Kerkhoff expresses concern about high employee turnover rates (51% looking for new jobs, 22% attrition in IT industry, 57% burnout) and the impact on businesses.
- Steve Pasiciel and Wim Kerkhoff discuss the importance of community and belonging in the tech industry, with 51% of workers looking for new jobs due to a lack of connection and belonging.
- Industry leaders must provide opportunities for people to connect and feel a sense of belonging to reverse the statistic of workers looking for new jobs due to a lack of community and belonging.
- Steve Pasiciel and Wim Kerkhoff discuss the time it takes to turn around a bland culture in an organization, with Steve suggesting it depends on the employees' willingness to embrace positive changes.
- Kerkhoff notes that hiring people who are already on board with the idea of a positive culture can help it permeate the organization quickly.
Company culture and values.
- Wim Kerkhoff and Steve Pasiciel discuss the importance of aligning values and culture in an organization, with Wim sharing that new hires will quickly adapt to the company culture and either rise to meet expectations or fall short.
- They emphasize the need for a structured approach to meetings and workflow, with Wim noting that poor workflow and product can undermine even the best efforts at building a positive culture.
- Steve Pasiciel noticed a lack of response to a question he asked in Slack about what people were thankful for, despite having 3839 employees in the channel.
- Pasiciel wondered if this was a cultural indicator, suggesting that people may not be as thankful or engaged as he had hoped.
Workplace culture and employee retention.
- Wim Kerkhoff emphasizes the importance of creating an environment where people enjoy coming to work and feel inspired, as this leads to retention and positive emotions.
- Steve Pasiciel agrees and adds that even when people don't love it all the time, leaders should identify signs of fatigue and find ways to support and motivate their team members.
- Steve Pasiciel and Wim Kerkhoff discuss the importance of identifying and addressing signs of burnout in team members, such as decreased engagement or lack of enthusiasm, through regular one-on-one meetings and checking in on their well-being.
- Kerkhoff emphasizes the importance of having these conversations early and often, rather than waiting for an annual performance review, and using radically candid and gentle language to address any issues that arise.
Self-awareness and emotional intelligence in business.
- Wim Kerkhoff and Steve Pasiciel discuss the importance of self-awareness and surrounding oneself with people who can provide constructive feedback to help improve emotional intelligence.
- They emphasize the value of working with coaches, mentors, and peer groups to develop this skill, as it is difficult to achieve on one's own through reading books or intellectual work alone.
- Steve Pasiciel emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence and mental health in business, citing a statistic that 51% of people are looking for jobs that prioritize these skills.
- Pasiciel suggests that finding a coach who is versed in both business and emotional skills is key to making progress in this area, and that building a relationship with a coach is crucial for effectiveness.
The benefits of external coaching for business growth and employee retention.
- External coaches can provide objective insights and call out blind spots, but progress may stall if the same conversations continue.
- Wim Kerkhoff emphasizes the importance of investing in people to improve company culture and reduce turnover costs.
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