By: Gary Dumais, Psy.D., SPHR, Select Human Resources
“I never want to go back to corporate culture” is a common comment I hear when helping people make their next career move. Perhaps that’s why presentations like Be a Destination Employer: Ways to Make Your Workplace the Place to Be! were so popular at the last Philly SHRM Symposium, because HR professionals need ways to attract talent! During the presentation, Michael S. Cohen discussed how issues such as pay equity, microaggressions, and bias can impact employee recruitment and retention. In this article, I’d like to elaborate on how an aspect of corporate culture can also be a culprit – freedom.
Many of the people I help to find new roles share that they want more freedom in their work, or that a lack of freedom underpins their desire to leave a job or avoid certain companies. It’s really not surprising if you consider things like freedom and independence to be fundamental human needs, or in the very least, required for people to thrive. However, corporate best practices intended to maximize profits and efficiencies can also minimize employee freedom (e.g., standardizing processes, corporate policies, etc.).
Thus, as HR professionals, it’s important for us to act on opportunities to develop a sense of employee freedom within the company culture, and leverage it for recruiting and retention. With that in mind, here are three approaches to consider when drafting polices, advising leaders, coaching managers, and the like:
- Define the “what” while being flexible about the “how” – Certain goals need to be
achieved for business survival (e.g., profitability), and therefore allow little flexibility.
However, there can be flexibility in how those goals are achieved. When possible,
afford employees the latitude to determine how to meet goals or accomplish their
responsibilities. - Engage employees in decision-making – Having the ability to choose or make decisions
is a core aspect of freedom. With that in mind, it can be worthwhile to augment
opportunities for employees to make on-the-job decisions or to be invited to
participate in decision-making processes. - Allow mistakes – Too often, corporate cultures confuse “promoting accountability” with
chastising employees for making mistakes. Repercussions can include reducing the
freedom employees feel they have to suggest new ideas, try new methods, or innovate.
Instilling a company culture that celebrates mistakes as learning opportunities can
promote a sense of freedom that attracts and retains top talent.
About the Author
Gary Dumais, Psy.D., SPHR is a Business Psychologist & Career Coach at Select Human Resources. He helps people identify and achieve what they truly enjoy doing for work. Dr. Dumais is also a seasoned executive coach with deep expertise in psychometric assessments and interview methods for hiring, professional development, and succession planning. He has a doctorate in Clinical Psychology, bachelor’s degrees in psychology and health & human services, and is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources with over 20 years of experience.
Editor: Dennis Paris
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