Attracting Talent: Are You Leveraging EOS?

Man, oh, man. It’s brutal out there.

For the past two years, I’ve been watching my clients struggle with the pandemic, supply chain issues, and now, HIRING. It’s an epidemic and it’s severely impacting the small to mid-sized businesses I work with. Regardless of the industry, hiring/recruiting is the number one issue on all of my clients’ Issues Lists.

Without great people, it’s hard to achieve the Vision my clients have worked so hard to create. Gaping holes in departments are preventing leaders from getting their Rocks completed. Morale is low due to burnout. Many folks on my leadership teams are doing the jobs of two people – and neither of the jobs are getting done very well. Where on earth did all of the people go?

The truth is, good employees, the “right people,” are out there; they’re just very deliberate about the next place they want to work. Discernment is high. They aren’t going to waste time at a company with a bad culture and limited career opportunities. They are researching your company online, poring over your website, Glass Door reviews, and social media posts. They want to work – but on their terms. As leaders, we need to evolve and adapt to serve them. And then we’ve got to find them.

Here’s a rattling statistic; in a recent Gallup poll, 48% of those currently employed are actively looking for their next job. Contrary to popular belief, people aren’t leaving their jobs because of money. People are leaving because they are not engaged at work. They aren’t valued. They don’t feel a sense of belonging. They don’t have a sense of purpose. They don’t have any potential for advancement. And last, but certainly not least, they don’t have a good relationship with their bosses. As the saying goes, “people don’t leave bad companies, they leave bad bosses.” Tough question: is it possible that you played a role in a direct report’s exit? Is there something you could have done better?

If you are a company running on EOS, the Entrepreneurial Operating System, you understand all this. You are actively working on the People Component, acknowledging that without great people, you can’t achieve your company’s Vision. Your Core Values are used daily to drive a positive culture. Your compelling Core Focus informs the overriding purpose of the company – the reason you exist. Your ten-year target challenges and inspires everyone to meet the company’s purpose. You are getting results. With EOS, you’ve actually got the thing that job candidates are looking for. Yet, you probably aren’t marketing that effectively. You’ve become unconsciously competent about EOS and have forgotten that it’s a huge part of your talent attraction strategy.

Recently, I spoke at a large industry conference, overviewing the EOS system. After the talk was over, a young woman came up to me and asked, “Do you know how I can find companies running on EOS? I really liked what I heard and want to work for one of those companies.”  Well, of course you would! Why wouldn’t you? This got me thinking about ways my clients could leverage their use of EOS, bullet-proofing them against the “great resignation.” Here are some ideas ~

Tell the world you are running on EOS.

• Videotape your core values speech and link it within your job postings.
• Videotape your employees sharing their favorite core value and telling a story about how someone else in the company demonstrated it.
• Videotape your employees sharing why the purpose/cause/passion of the company resonates with them.
• Walk every job candidate through your V/TO (Vision/Traction Organizer) as part of the interview process.
• Put the “We Run on EOS” badge on your website and other marketing collateral.
• Share your EOS-related videos on social media. Hashtag your core values and EOS.

Focus on your employees this year – and every year.

• Work with your employees to document and execute their individualized career plans.
• One-on-one, walk through the V/TO with every employee. Emphasize how they will impact the success of you achieving the Rocks and long-term goals for the company. Help them connect the dots.
• If you are a leader or manager of people, commit to being the best you can be. Invest in your skills by reading, joining a peer group, or making it a Rock to actively up your boss game.
• If you are already running on EOS, take your leadership and management skills to the next level with the How to Be a Great Boss Workshop. The Great Boss Workshops make LMA less mysterious and more actionable. It will make you a better boss – and “right people” will stay.

If you are already running on EOS, then for goodness sake, tell people about it! Don’t keep your light under a bushel. EOS is an enormous differentiator. Share how your company is making the world a better place. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?