I had decided to take the bus to work as it was a snowy winter day and I knew the drive would be extra-long and I would just get to work frustrated from the traffic. I sat down in an overly heated bus next to a gentleman with a flannel vest with the name of the company on his chest. The vest, looking fairly new, clashed with his wrinkled and worn pants and shoes. As I sat down, I gave the verbal equal to a meaningless wave – “Good morning, how are you” I asked. Surprisingly, I did not receive the token “good” or “fine”, but the gentlemen responded “going to get my soul sucked for the day”.

“Going to get my soul sucked for the day”

“That doesn’t sound good”, I responded with a bit of shock. “What’s going on that makes you say that”?

The man told me he had just joined a new company. He said he had been working remotely for the last 5 years, but there was no upward growth at his old company so he needed to join a new company to grow in his career. While he said his compensation had jumped substantially at the new job, the downside seemed to over-weight the benefits of the higher compensation. He really didn’t like leaving his house to go to work, the people at the new company were too “corporate”, and the social calendar, with all the potlucks and happy hours, was very exhausting. He dubbed the new company culture as “trying too hard, not very genuine”.

I was quickly reminded of the new term “Employer of Choice” and the importance of having a strong employer brand. The term emulates the importance not of having a strong brand in the marketplace or a strong brand within the industry, but the importance of having clear and demonstrable values that are shared by the employees and potential employees of a company. In a recent article from “Great Places to Work”, the most important values of a company include:

1. Career Growth – Creating a variety of career paths that facilitate movement up and through the organization.
2. Meaningful Work – Stretching employees to reach their potential without creating too much stress.
3. Appreciation and Recognition – No one wants to feel taken for granted or have their contributions go unnoticed.
4. Work-Life Balance – It can’t be said enough – refreshed, relaxed, balanced people are the most productive and satisfied.
5. Strong Leaders – Employees feel secure when they trust leaders will make sound business decisions and that the work being done is purposeful.
6. Fairness – People are very perceptive when it comes to fair treatment, and they choose to work where they trust equity is a strongly held value.
7. Transparency – When employees feel ‘in the know’ they understand they are part of something bigger than just their job description.
8. Empowerment – Employees desire to be involved in decisions and they want to be trusted to take responsibility for how they complete their work and to influence how work is generally done. 
9. Strong Reputation – An organization that is highly respected within the industry or the region is naturally a place where people want to work.
10. Community Involvement – Strong corporate citizenship is very appealing to potential employees. This includes ethical practices, sustainability initiatives, and social responsibility. 
11. Fun!! – Beyond fitting in, people want to have fun at work. They typically spend upwards of eight hours per day with their colleagues so it’s important that the culture and atmosphere make room for celebration and enjoyment. 

As you can see, compensation is not necessarily an important value. Most companies have a clear understanding that if they do not pay people properly they will not attract or retain good employees.

So, for both companies and employees alike, it is very important to clearly articulate through your on-line presence and social media the values that are embodied and how you will make sure the employee / employer fit is right.

We hope this helps you continue to find a connection that keeps you energized, engaged and connected to the company. After all, no one wants to feel like their soul is being sucked out every day!