An Interview with Phil La Duke
07/25/2022
Be Swift — Companies need to be swifter than ever to pursue strong talent by accelerating the interviewing and hiring processes and letting strong candidates feel wanted along the way — ego is a powerful elixir. You can’t expect a hire to take three weeks for approval, because that candidate could be gone by then.
The pandemic has allowed people to reevaluate what they want from work. This “Great Reevaluation” has led to the “Great Resignation” which has left the US with a great big labor shortage and a supply chain crisis. What can we do to reverse this trend? What can be done to attract great talent to companies looking to hire? What must companies do to retain their great talent? If not just a paycheck, what else are employees looking for? In this interview series called “The Labor Shortage & The 5 Things We Must Do To Attract & Retain Great Talent” we are talking to successful business leaders who can share stories and ideas from their experiences that can address these questions.
As a part of this interview series, we had the pleasure to interview Teri Fisher.
Acclaimed consultant, executive coach, author, and speaker, Teri Fisher is known for integrating theory, expertise, and real-world business practices into her engagements, leveraging her experience in both the public and private sectors. Since forming Insight Strategies, Ms. Fisher and her team have provided professional services to a variety of clients, like GeoEngineers, Clean Energy, Sun Microsystems, Entergy, the Central Intelligence Agency, Parker Aerospace, Tyco, Galvin and Associates, FTD, CAbi, Litton Aerospace, Microsoft, Amazon, Murphy O’Brien, CitiFinancial, AIG, LA Metro, Orange County Transportation Authority, Omnitrans, C-TRAN, the Federal Transit Administration, Time Warner Cable, and more.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would like to get an idea of who you are and where you came from. Can you tell us a bit about your background? Where do you come from? What are the life experiences that most shaped your current self?
I appreciate you asking. I was born and raised in Washington state, specifically, Kirkland (mostly known as Costco’s private label brand — that’s actually a town). I’m a middle child — only girl — with one older and one younger brother. I was raised by wonderful parents who believed in me, though I could do anything I put my mind and heart into, and did not accept excuses. My Dad (aka Fath) put me into the mix with whatever he did with my brothers, which meant I was expected to know how to fish, hike, pull weeds, play sports…you name it. It also meant that as the only daughter I needed to defend myself from my brothers by physically fighting/wrestling and learning to compete for food at the dinner table. These experiences taught me to be tough, rely upon myself, be comfortable interacting with females and males alike and eat fast.
Two other experiences shaped who I am today.
First, becoming a mom to Claire (24) and Sean (19). I never thought I would become a parent as I was so focused on my career, but my beyond assertive husband did not give up on the idea. Thank God! It changed me from the inside out. I didn’t know how deep my love could go until I birthed my children. Parenting has enriched my life, humbled me, and made me a better leader and person.
Second, I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer 12 years ago. On top of having two young children to parent, I had to undergo chemotherapy, radiation, and a year and a half of reconstructive surgeries. It was the hardest two years of my life…but the blessings outweighed the challenges. I thought I was tough before but this march at times was untenable. My family, friends, and the community stepped up to provide meals to my family, handle logistics, care for my young children, and offered prayers — I felt so incredibly loved. I realized my self-reliance was both my strength and Achilles’ heel. I HAD to lean on others and in so doing, discovered my needs weren’t a nuisance to others, but rather a gift of allowing others to experience themselves as generous, loving, and “other” focused. Since that time, my husband and I have made it a point every week to help a neighbor in need.
Let’s jump right in. Some experts have warned of the “Great Resignation” as early as the 1980s and yet so many companies seem to have been completely unprepared when it finally happened. What do you think caused this disconnect? Why do you think the business world was caught by surprise?
Most leaders have not experienced their type of labor market — leaders are applying the same strategy to a new problem.
What do you think employers have to do to adapt to this new reality?
Today’s modern labor market is one that most of today’s leaders have not experienced and applying old strategies to this new problem will not be effective when it comes to not only attracting and securing new employees…but your current employees. This issue is so much at the forefront that in response to this dilemma, our company, Insight Strategies created a program to guide leaders through it — “Fighting for Your People.” We consult and train our clients on how to equip leaders with the skills necessary to pivot, act quickly, and ultimately create intrinsic value that answers the questions, why should someone choose your organization and why would someone want to work for you as their leader? Throwing money at people is the easy part. What’s more difficult is creating a culture whereby current and new employees want to be a part of something special and feel valued and seen.
Based on your opinion and experience, what do you think were the main pain points that caused the great resignation? Why is so much of the workforce unhappy?
The great resignation has been prompted by a few key factors — employees…
- reexamining their lives due to impacts of the pandemic (i.e., losing loved ones, etc.)
- deciding that leading a life that integrates both work and home (WFH) is better for them and their families than a linear schedule of home/work/home
- can be picky due to the hot job market — perhaps another employer will appreciate them more or give them more meaningful work or higher responsibility
- can get higher pay due to the hot job market
Many employers extoll the advantages of the entrepreneurial spirit and the possibilities of an expanded “gig economy”. But this does come with the cost of a lack of loyalty of gig workers. Is there a way to balance this? Can an employer look for single-use sources of services and expect long-term loyalty? Is there a way to hire a freelancer and expect dependability and loyalty? Can you please explain what you mean?
First, our business model relies upon those who provide “gig” work either full or part-time, so I appreciate it tremendously. Second, my personal philosophy is to treat these partners as if they are an extended part of your team. For example, at Insight Strategies, when bonuses are handed out, we include our contracted partners in the bonus pool. At our Monday virtual strategy/staff meetings, we invite them to attend (actually participate) and ask them the same questions we ask our employed staff. Sample questions might be, “What are you most proud of from last week? Is there anything you’re struggling with? How can we help?” The thing they share could be Insight Strategies related or not. We care about all of who they are, not just the work they provide us. It’s not transactional, it’s relational. We find these “gig” partners go over and above for us — but we go over and above for them too.
It has been said that “people don’t quit jobs, they quit bosses”. How do you think this has been true during the Great Resignation? Can you explain what you mean?
This is based on a 25-year comprehensive Gallup study conducted years ago. Basically, their research validated what most of us knew in our hearts — the person you report to has the greatest influence on deciding whether to stay or go. This is now truer than ever! Due to the labor market, “bosses” are being more challenged than ever to really engage with their people. Bosses who care, share the vision, make people matter, include them in solving problems, hand off decision-making authority, and engage with the whole person have a much better chance of keeping the “keepers.”
I am fond of saying, “If it’s fun they charge admission. But you get a paycheck for working here.” Obviously, I am being facetious, but not entirely. Every job has its frustrations and there will be times when every job will aggravate employees. How important is it that employees enjoy their jobs?
Considering that most adults spend most of their waking moments at work, striving for job enjoyment is a great goal. The qualifier is, does one need to enjoy the “job” itself? The answer is, not necessarily. Even if one doesn’t enjoy the specific job, what about the “workplace” can bring joy or a sense of accomplishment, meaning, purpose, belonging, respect, etc., i.e., a great team, camaraderie, challenging work, and energizing culture, freedom, and flexibility, etc. These are considered intrinsic motivators and depending on the individual, these motivators will vary, which is why being a people leader can be challenging for many. It requires that leaders get to know their team members individually, understand what matters most to each, then adapt one’s approach and focus based on these needs.
Research shows a connection between employee retention and satisfaction with having a culture that engages and inspires employees. A 2020 Gallop study lists corporate culture as one of the main factors influencing workforce retention. And happy employees are brand ambassadors. They’ll not only stay on board, but they’ll also wave your flag. A 2018 Forbes article, Why Empathy Matters in the Workplace, found that 81% of employees would be willing to work longer hours if their employer was empathetic.
How do you think an unhappy workforce will impact a) company productivity b) company profitability c) and employee health and wellbeing?
The answer is yes, yes, and yes. Turnover is at an all-time high due to new opportunities, disengagement, burnout, and work/life balance issues. SHRM cited research commissioned by the Achievers Workforce Institute and found that 46 percent of respondents feel less connected to their company, 42 percent say company culture has diminished since the start of the pandemic, and just 21 percent of workers said they are very engaged at work. A study cited in a CultureWise article, claimed companies that focus on their culture have a 52% higher stock price, are 28% more profitable, and have 36% more productivity.
Even without the research to support, for any of us who have had to deal with low morale, dissatisfied employees, toxic culture, etc. — we all know about the negative impacts and how time-consuming it is to correct. It takes a skillful leadership team, tremendous commitment, tenacity, and more time than you think to navigate through these rough waters to get to the other side.
What are a few things that employers, managers, and executives can do to ensure that workers enjoy their jobs?
- Reconnect with your people and invest time to retain current talent, which some organizations forget while focusing their efforts on recruiting new talent. As a leader, be clear on what you’re selling and what your company culture is — why do employees want to work for your organization and for you specifically?
- Reevaluate your company values: Are you holding true to past promises your company has given employees? What tactics are your leaders taking to create not only a performance-based culture but one that speaks to the evolving values and desired benefits of newer generations? Has your company adapted benefits, policies, and work environment to adapt to today’s workers, i.e., career growth and development, flex hours, work-from-home, etc.?
- Recalibrate and be open to doing things differently than what you’ve done before and how you position yourself to be successful. What’s worked in years past may not be what you need to be successful in today’s labor market in 2022.
- Recommit to your existing talent and team members. Every leader needs to recommit to their people and their organization and ask your employees, especially the key influencers, to recommit and assist in solving the labor challenge.
Can you share a few things that employers, managers, and executives should be doing to improve their companies’ work cultures?
Employees are longing for a culture that provides a sense of I belong, I matter, I’m seen, I’m part of something that values what I value, my opinions matter, I’m coached to be better every day, and that my contributions make a difference. Be clear on what that culture is and re-examine/re-evaluate your company values; re-calibrate — be open to do things differently than what you’ve done before + how you position yourself to be successful; recommitting is super important, every leader recommitting to their people and the organization and asking employees you want to keep to recommit.
Okay, wonderful. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 things employers should do to attract and retain top talent during the labor shortage?” (Please share a story or example for each.)
- Be Swift — Companies need to be swifter than ever to pursue strong talent by accelerating the interviewing and hiring processes and letting strong candidates feel wanted along the way — ego is a powerful elixir. You can’t expect a hire to take three weeks for approval, because that candidate could be gone by then. At Insight Strategies, for strong job candidates, instead of being interviewed first by a lower-level leader to vet the candidate, a Managing Partner conducts the first interview — signaling the importance of the job and the potential candidate. Don’t get hung up on archaic systems, you need to be willing to jump on a promising candidate within 24 hours if you find a candidate that looks strong on paper. Handle it with urgency or else you’ll lose them; as we’re all experiencing, strong candidates will receive multiple opportunities.
- Be Clear About Company’s Value Proposition — all interviewees must be clear about your company’s value proposition and be equipped to answer the question, “Why should this person work for your organization and for you personally?” One of our clients hosted its first-ever job fair. Forty-five staff members volunteered to show up on a Saturday to provide support as interviewers, guides, and other roles. All candidates received a company orientation presentation that included its value proposition — why them? Along with a list of open positions. Candidates were then guided to interviews. If successful, candidates were immediately guided to the technology room where staff assisted in completing online applications. HR urgently screened and conducted background checks and for all who checked out, they were made offers on the spot. Out of the 50 job candidate attendees, 27 offers were made that day! This was a perfect example of cutting through the red and an acute awareness of this new sandbox we’re all playing in.
- Understand What Motivates Your Employees — Now more than ever, leaders need to be intentional about keeping employees and not just by reevaluating pay and benefits (extrinsic motivators) but digging in to really understand what motivates each employee and what they specifically value (intrinsic motivators), starting with your top talent and key influencers. This allows leaders to adapt their style and decisions according to each employee. We created a tool long ago called the Insight Strategies Employment Engagement Interview© that is now more relevant than ever. It’s a series of questions that assist leaders with understanding and aligning to each employee’s needs and desires at a much deeper level, serving as a personalized leadership roadmap for each employee. Sample questions include, “In the last three months, what was your worst day at work? the best day at work? How can I support you right now as your manager?” By the way, if you can’t answer these questions, let this be an indication to engage more. The process itself is a relationship builder and equips leaders with the necessary information to adapt their approach to each employee and thereby making them feel important and valued. I tell my clients, “If you’re engaged with your employees, you’re going to notice if they start to disengage.” Leaders need to be trained on noticing micro-behaviors of disengagement — minor shifts in how they typically show up, for example, being late to meetings, not contributing as much, etc. The key is to catch those nuanced signals before they have both feet out the door and then sit down and reconnect. Notice any signs of discontentment before they start hunting for a new job and then acknowledge the elephant — “I’ve noticed lately that…” If they come to you presenting an outside job offer, fight for them, and ask what they need for you to keep them.
- Create Opportunities for In-Person Meetings — As many of our clients have shifted to the 3 days remote/2 days in the office model, we’re encouraging leaders to create opportunities for in-person team and trust-building activities that are often lost in remote settings. I compare what can get lost in work-from-home (WFH) environments to family members who stay in separate rooms all day. Imagine the disconnect that would ensue if the family never got together for dinner or play. Don’t get me wrong, WFH is here to stay and has clear benefits. Just be wary of the downsides it can create if we don’t bring our teams together from time to time — it’s the human element as to why we exist.
- Be Flexible — Employees are seeking flexibility — and that’s been very hard for traditional organizations to understand and adapt to. Also, flexibility for Jose might be different than for Lisa. For example, if a team member needs a certain number of remote workdays to better accommodate picking up their child from school, how can you meet their needs in a way that competing organizations might have trouble competing with? Some clients have had trouble letting go of the highly structured 9–5 work hours or trusting that employees will get the work done working from home. A mindset shift is imperative to keep employees of today.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.
Very cool! There are many, but currently, I’d say, Brene Brown. As a fellow life-long explorer of what makes great leaders, I have a great deal of respect for what Brene Brown brings to the table — specifically, her honesty and courage in expressing her vulnerabilities along her own leadership journey. Additionally, her research supports much of Insight Strategies’ philosophical approach to not only leadership, but the human element related to personal and organizational success.
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Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this. We wish you continued success and good health.
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