<p><sup>Recently, I heard a colleague, with expertise building small businesses, offer this talent acquisition advice: “As an employer, your goal is to spend the least amount of money to get the most amount of skills/talents. The candidate’s goal is always to get the most amount of money for the least amount of work! Employers must be prepared to play hardball during negotiations.”

I find that advice troubling!

Beginning the employer/employee relationship with such a “win-lose” attitude fosters the “them” v. “us” mentality permeating today’s workplace. I have worked with thousands of job seekers and employees over the course of my career and can vouch for the integrity of the vast majority of them. Most people are not lazy, goof-offs looking to take advantage of employers. Rather, they are committed individuals looking for an opportunity to contribute their skills and talents to an organization aligned with their personal needs and values. The ability to contribute to the success of an organization offers people a personal sense of pride… a sense of purpose. When treated properly and compensated fairly for their contributions, workers feel valued and appreciated; it instills a sense of loyalty and commitment to employers.

I marvel at the amount of time, money and resources employers dedicate to exploring and enhancing employee engagement when the solution is pretty simply. What might the world of work look like if all employers rejected that antiquate “win-lose” mindset during the hiring process and instead sought to recruit “strategic partners,” embracing a “win-win” mentality? The most successful organizations know that recruiting with a win-win mentality allows them to find the synergies between management and workers. In those organizations, management and employees, each with their distinct roles, work in tandem towards shared institutional goals that benefit both. It may feel counterintuitive to some employers, but when compensation is based on the value of the skills and talents needed to meet organizational goals rather than on simply getting the most for the least-- the financial rewards are ultimately higher, despite the upfront costs.

Employers AND employees need to gain a greater understanding and appreciation of the contributions, challenges and values of the other. Such an understanding will enable us to search for win-win solutions to any workplace conflict. By aligning our individual and institutional values, wants and needs, we can revolutionize how we work and live.

--Kathleen Brady, CPC
 www.careerplanners.net
</br></sup>
</p>