RESPECT

Is it possible that the way to win in business is to give employees exactly what they want? Yes. As RESPECT reveals, managers and organizations who give their employees what they want outperform those who don't. This is no hunch – it's a fact based on more than 25 years of global research. Drs. Jack Wiley and Brenda Kowske have amassed a research database unlike any other, and it all started with this simple question: "What is the most important thing you want from the organization for which you work?" Organizations that apply this research have more engaged employees, more satisfied customers, and better shareholder returns. It all boils down to seven key elements, summarized by the acronym RESPECT. These are the seven things that employees really want: Recognition, Exciting Work, Security, Pay, Education, Conditions and Truth. This book taps the authors' "in the trenches" consulting experience and offers real solutions on each element of RESPECT. Written for all types of leaders—from supervisors to the c-suite—readers can pick and choose the proven solutions that are relevant to their own organizations. By weaving stories and narrative, the authors make complex information easy to understand and fun to read. In addition, RESPECT meets the demands of the global economy, offering an international perspective with corresponding cultural nuances that are critical to helping leaders manage the needs of their workforces.

List of Figures and Tables vii Preface xi Acknowledgments xv 1. What Employees Really Want 1 2. Why You Should Care 13 3. Recognition 27 4. Exciting Work 45 5. Security of Employment 61 6. Pay 79 7. Education and Career Growth 97 8. Conditions at Work 117 9. Truth 139 10. RESPECT: A Key to Your Future Success 155 Appendix A. Identifying RESPECT Levels Worksheet 167 Appendix B. About the WorkTrends Study 173 Appendix C. Discovering the RESPECT Taxonomy: The Method 177 Notes 183 About the Authors 195 Index 197