What it Means to Work Here

by Tamara J. Erickson and Lynda Gratton

Human Resources Management

Ana Silva, 4214

Cátia Vaz, 4208
Carolina Lourenço, 3799 Prof. Filipa Castanheira
Sofia Medeiros, 4257 9th February 2018
 From the following factors which are the
ones that matter the most to You?
→ Health Care Benefits
→ Training Programs
→ Compensation
→ Talent-Management Practices
What it Means to Work Here 
by Tamara J. Erickson and Lynda Gratton
 So, Do You think that these factors are
enough when You are choosing a job?

What it Means to Work Here 

by Tamara J. Erickson and Lynda Gratton
 Let's consider You are applying
for a New Job

Team-Based Hiring → profit-sharing program and after a 4-week

trial team-members vote on whether a new hire stays or goes;

Trial-Under Fire → 3-month immersion program, rigorous

evaluation and detailed feedback;

Extensive Training & Indoctrination → intensive training during the

first week and after, continuous training in different functions.

What it Means to Work Here 

by Tamara J. Erickson and Lynda Gratton
 Do You consider that any of these job
offers (orientation experiences) is better
than the others?
What it Means to Work Here 
by Tamara J. Erickson and Lynda Gratton
 The answer is NO!
→ Each candidate should choose the offer and the company that
most closely reflects their own values and preferences.

→ This reflects the importance of valuing employee preferences,

meaning that what makes companies great is their ability to
attract and retain the right people.

What it Means to Work Here 

by Tamara J. Erickson and Lynda Gratton
 But, How is this Possible?
→ Companies must be able to tell new and prospective hires what is working at those firms unique;

→ By defining and communicating their core values and distinctive attributes in unique and
memorable, firms empower potential hires to make well-informed employment choices;

→ So, companies will empower the people who share their values and enthusiasm for work to self-
select into the firm, creating the foundation for highly productive employee-employer
relationships that translates in a win-win situation for both.

What it Means to Work Here 

by Tamara J. Erickson and Lynda Gratton
 SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE
Is a visible and distinctive element of an organisation’s overall employee experience.

→ It creates value for the firm and serves as a powerful and constant symbol of the
organisation’s culture and values, being tricky for competitors to imitate since it reflects
the company’s heritage.

→ It is a critical element of the company’s ability to achieve critical levels of engagement

because they express what makes them unique.

What it Means to Work Here 

by Tamara J. Erickson and Lynda Gratton
"
Companies that successfully create and communicate
signature experiences understand that different types
of people will excel at different companies, and that
not all workers want the same things.

"
 FINDING YOUR SIGNATURE
eeyolpmE eloR ehT

Expressive Secure Individual Expertise Risk & Flexible Low Obligation

 epyT kroW fo

Legacy Progress & Team Success Reward Support & Easy Income
Work is about Work is Work is about being a Work is one of multiple Work is a source of Work is a source
creating something about improving valuable part of a opportunities to live a livelihood but not yet of immediate economic
with lasting value. one´s lot in life and winning team. life filled with change for not currently a gain.
finding a and excitement. priority. 
predictable path.

- Autonomy - Fair, predictable - Collaboration - Opportunity to - Flexibility - Jobs that are

- Entrepreneurial rewards - Fun improve personal - Well-defined vacation relatively easy to come
slaeppA tahW

opportunities - Concrete - Stability and finances and family benefits by

 segagnE &

- Creative compensation, structure - Flexibility - Well-defined work - Lucrative

opportunities solid benefits  - Opportunity to gain - Opportunity to routines compensation and
- Stimulating tasks - Stability competence choose tasks and - Virtual, asynchronous benefits packages
that enable - Structure and - Opportunity to positions from a long tasks and assignments - Well-defined work
continual learning routine leverage personal menu of options - Fun routines
and growth  - Career training strengths - Open-ended tasks - Stability and security
and approaches to - Recognition
getting work done

What it Means to Work Here 

by Tamara J. Erickson and Lynda Gratton
 General Principles for Creating, Supporting, &
Preserving  unique employee experiences
1. Target a Segment of Potential Employees: as companies target which customers
will buy their products, companies should also have insights about which job
candidates will buy into the organisation’s culture and adapt to its workflow.
Companies that apply that target potential employees can gain a sustainable market
advantage because it ensures high levels of motivation and engagement which
translates into customer satisfaction and high profits.

Example:
JetBlue → When most airlines were using standard call centers, JetBlue devised a
system based entirely out of employees’ homes. This has become one of the airline’s
signature experiences and part of its organisational lore, attracting a strong and
productive base of employees who find flexible schedules more valuable than above-
average compensation.
What it Means to Work Here 
by Tamara J. Erickson and Lynda Gratton
 General Principles for Creating, Supporting, &
Preserving  unique employee experiences
2. Address Specific Business Needs: Some companies’ signature experiences stem
from critical business needs. By addressing those needs, companies present to the
job candidates for which characteristics are the companies looking for. So, people
who do not identify themselves with the companies needs won’t waste their time or
the organisation’s.

3. Share Your Stories: By sharing their histories reinforce the message that the
companies to want to share to the job candidates.

4. Have the Courage of Your Convictions: Companies don’t need to be all the things
to all people. The content of the company's signature experience attracts people who
are suited to your organisation’s culture and interested in furthering its goals.

What it Means to Work Here 

by Tamara J. Erickson and Lynda Gratton
 General Principles for Creating, Supporting, &
Preserving  unique employee experiences
5. Identify and Preserve Your History: The seed of a signature experience already
exists in many companies. However, the companies have to face the challenge of
finding it. Once a company found its signature of experience, it has to extend it or
shape it to the needs of today’s business, and protect it. So, the signature of
experience will send an explicit message to potential hires helping them to decide.  

Example:
Royal Bank of Scotland → Successive CEOs have adopted morning meetings, as an
innovative practice. Every morning, between 8 and 9, the current executive team
meets with the chief executive, Sir Fred Goodwin, to talk about the previous day’s
events, go over that day’s agenda, and plan for the future. These sessions force
employees to think about speed to market and reinforce the collective accountability
of the senior team. 
What it Means to Work Here 
by Tamara J. Erickson and Lynda Gratton
 General Principles for Creating, Supporting, &
Preserving  unique employee experiences
6. Strive for Consistency: A signature experience must be reinforced by processes
that send consistent messages to employees. Sometimes, low engagement is caused
by employees’ perception that some elements of the work experience aren’t exactly
as they were advertised. A coherent employee experience is one of the key elements
of engagement as a well-defined and communicated signature experience that
conveys  for potential hires and reinforces for employees the attributes and values of
the organisation.

Example:
Whole Foods → The company backs up its team-based induction process with
compensation practices, employee rewards and recognition, and promotion criteria
that are also strongly team based. By doing this, all elements of the overall employee
experience are aligned. 
What it Means to Work Here 
by Tamara J. Erickson and Lynda Gratton
 Conclusion
" The best strategy for coming out ahead in the war for talent isn’t to scoop up
everyone in sight, unless you want to deal with the fallout: high turnover, high
recruitment and training costs, and disengaged, unproductive employees. Instead,
you need to convince the right people - those who are intrigued and excited by the
work environment you can realistically offer and who will reward you with their
loyalty - to choose you.

What it Means to Work Here 

"
by Tamara J. Erickson and Lynda Gratton
"What do You think? Do You consider that companies by
focusing only on a niche part of the marketplace may
actually be losing some important talent that could
bring different ideas and add more value to their
projects? Or the opposite?"
What it Means to Work Here 
by Tamara J. Erickson and Lynda Gratton
 THANK
YOU!
Ana Silva, 4214
Cátia Vaz, 4208
Carolina Lourenço, 3799
What it Means to Work Here  Sofia Medeiros, 4257
by Tamara J. Erickson and Lynda Gratton