Blog: Perks to Performance
It’s alright to have the coffee machine ☕and table tennis🏓🏓in the office yet it’s the culture that will keep people returning every week.
Perks were a late 90s approach when we first heard the term, ‘war for talent’ coined by McKinseys & Company to attract people.
Perks are now being used to keep people returning, although a coffee machine’s aroma is outweighed by the smell of the culture. Perks appeal to the extrinsic motivation of a few opposed to the intrinsic motivations of many.
An org that is on purpose and delivers meaningful work to complete and achieve is very desirable. It’s aiming to offer work that meets motivation and drivers of many people.
Praise is also a winning approach when retaining people. A simple ‘thank you for completing your work’ or a grandiose reception will meet the needs of various people. Yet, praise can be shallow. To go deep, it needs to appeal to the drive and reason for being in the workplace. Connecting the motivation of their work and the impact on the business workplace is a leadership approach necessary today.
If we offer a workplace culture that aligns to their purpose, efforts and effectiveness then this will lead to the performance of your business.
It’s unlikely to remain attractive to people if each person’s purpose isn’t being fulfilled. Boredom accelerates departure.
The Culture Question (Achieve Centre for Leadership & Workplace Performance), one of my summer reads elaborated on the connection of the desired workplace return of many (in person and online) to your performance (not theirs)!
Your leadership performance is the anchor to your workplace culture.
