Before you ask "Why is it so difficult to find good staff?", first ask "How do I become a good enough employer to attract good staff?"
When you do things consistently well as an organisation, it helps create a brand about your company in what other people believe, want, say and do about you.
"That's a good company"
"I want my nephew to join that company"
"You should go work for them"
"I'll recommend you to them"
We know next to nothing about Petronas, Shell, Google, HP, Axiata, etc, but we hear good things about working there. While the eventual reality might be different, but it was the Employment Brand that attracted us there in the first place.
With socmed today, the employment brand can come under deep scrunity, especially when a company is more interested in protecting their Product Brand.
The recent Malaysian cases of a Honda sales executive and a Cisco business development manager who made uncalled for socmed comments have received attention from their employers.
Companies are so protective of their Product Brand that they want to disassociate themselves from employees who embarrass them. In extreme cases, this includes terminating their service.
The question is, while the world applauds them for their actions and continue buying their products, but the next time you think of becoming their employee, what first comes to mind?
"This company cares more about their image than they do about me"
.
While that has always been an open secret about capitalistic endeavours, it has never been so loudly shouted as it is now. It even happens to spokespersons.
When Tiger Woods was embroiled in a shocking sex scandal in 2009, his sponsors began dropping him overnight. Accenture especially removed him and replaced him with an elephant on a surfboard. But Nike stayed with him throughout the ordeal. They are still together.
So. Why is it so hard to attract good staff? Well, do you care more for your product or your employees?
That will give you some clues.
