Recruiting and retaining quality talent within an organization will always be the great differentiator that sets the exemplar organizations apart from mediocre ones. In fact, quality workers demonstrate the pinnacle contributions realized in Healthcare, Human Services, Nonprofits, and Developmental Services; who historically have significant challenges around recruitment and retention of quality workers.

So, what is a quality worker? When we talk about quality workers, we are referring to our best people. The employees, who always find a way to stand out, perform up to and beyond expectations. They consistently demonstrate motivation, responsibility, commitment, and loyalty. A quality worker is the individual who you go to when you want something done right, and who you know will carry out the assignment and represent the organization well. From a professional standpoint a quality worker:

  1. Performs - one who achieves or exceeds in performance of the essential job functions of the average worker. In this sense, satisfactory performance equates to competence.
  2. Stays - one who achieves or exceeds the average length of service benchmarks with the company. In this sense, we are identifying the individual who stays with the company beyond the average length of time for his or her respective position, department, or other qualifying factors. They usually like their job.
  3. Fits - one who consistently works in harmony with the team and company culture. This is someone who compliments and works well directly with the work team and with the management assigned. This is not a “yes-man” or woman, but one who understands the desired outcomes and works together for organizational common goals.

At a recent team meeting, one of our managers read a brief summary from a front-line staff person about a fantastic community experience they had with a particular person we serve in human services.  Amidst all the logistics, necessary planning components, and program and performance reviews, we heard this testimony about a real life activity in the field. Everyone at the meeting, including significant stakeholders, stopped the noise and gave their undivided attention. Heads moved away from phones and computers, pens stopped writing, ears opened, and eyes filled – everyone at the conference table was inspired.

This is why we do what we do. It was not because of the super plan we were creating, but rather the super connection to what we do (in mission) through this simple story. A quality worker writes that summary with real meaning, to their own audience because it comes more from the heart than from the head. It is an authentic extension of what they do and they don’t apologize for their better grasp of the important. Each team member at that meeting recognized without question, what was the most powerful moment.

My conviction is that “Better Quality Talent Leads to Better Quality Outcomes!” The great differentiator is clearly about hiring and keeping the quality people who routinely turn out these peak experiences.

Joe Mascia | Nobilify

joemascia3@gmail.com