Almost a decade ago, the late Roger Herman, an international business futurist, speaker and author made the following prediction:  “As the economy picks up, employers who have treated employees badly during the tight economy will be in serious trouble.  More workers will leave, laid-off employees won’t return, and fewer applicants will choose to work there.”  These words of wisdom still apply today. 

As more organizations recognize the correlation between today’s behaviors and tomorrow’s ability to attract and retain talent, they will need to take a serious look at how they are doing what they are doing.  Here is a true and false quiz to get you started in your organization’s self-evaluation:

Our organization treats candidates well by keeping the employment process moving and communicating in each step of the process.  It is a common notion among job seekers that “how you are treated as a candidate is a preview of how you will be treated as an employee.”  Given that premise, there are a lot of organizations that are making a very poor first impression to candidates.

Our organization has a well-defined orientation and training program for new hires.  How many of us had had experiences of “trial by fire?”  On the first day of work, you were shown your desk and where the restrooms were then told, in effect, “Good luck.”  New employees need to know what is expected of them, and how they will be supported to fulfill those objectives.

Our organization regularly communicates business objectives, results, changes, initiatives and status to employees, so that there are no surprises coming from above. You cannot over-communicate information that will impact people and their jobs.  To the extent that people can feel loyalty any more, it will only come from being dealt with openly and honestly.

Our organization does not tolerate abusive, unprofessional or inappropriate behavior from supervisors and management, and is forthright in addressing these unacceptable behaviors.   There must be a clear message as to the expectations of management and a process for employees, human resources, and peer management to deal with behaviors that are contrary to the standards that have been established.

If layoffs are necessary, our organization plans the implementation in a way that will maintain the dignity of the affected employees.  Those who must deliver the difficult message must be trained and supported to do it respectfully and sensitively.  And, unless there is a high risk of retaliation or sabotage, good employees should not be escorted out the door in front of their co-workers as if they were criminals.

If layoffs are necessary, affected employees are offered post-employment resources to support their transition, such as severance, extended benefits, and outplacement.  While none of these are mandated, an organization needs to be aware of the message it is sending to affected, remaining, and future employees.  It might be easy to justify not providing these benefits now, but this short-sightedness will backfire when it comes time for the company to hire again.

Our organization genuinely cares about its people, and the employees know it and feel it.   This message, spoken or unspoken, is felt rather than heard.  People are quick to notice when an organization’s behavior is contrary to its stated mission and values.  Unfortunately, pockets of aligned managers will not make up for those who are self-serving rather than people-serving.

Organizations tend to not think through the internal and external impact of their current behavior on their future.  Whether it is positive or negative, previous behavior will create a reputation that will contribute to how an employer is viewed by potential employees who, when the economy turns around, will be in a position to choose their next employer.  Will they choose you?