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O P I N I O N
Money, culture, and purpose There’s three big reasons why employees choose where they work, and a firm’s rationale for its very existence can tie them all together.
T he “why” of a company matters. I ask the question during strategic planning sessions – why do you choose to work here? – because I assume that the individuals that we speak with could work at the firm down the street just as easily. Why is this the firm you have chosen to invest your time and your career aspirations in? People answer this in a variety of ways.
Jamie Claire Kiser
THE CULTURE. Culture is the environment that we cultivate within the firm. When people say that they appreciate the culture, they could mean that they have an open door to senior management and feel like their opinions matter. They may mean that this company works hard and plays hard. “Why is this the firm you have chosen to invest your time and your career aspirations in? People answer this in a variety of ways.”
THE MONEY. If you aren’t paying as well as the com- pany down the street, at some point, your fun par- ties and “family” environment may not be enough. We have worked with firms that choose to differ- entiate by salaries, incredible bonuses, and huge upward potential on investing in the company’s stock. Money isn’t evil, and working to support your family and create a better life should not be vilified. There are many individuals for whom this is enough. ❚ ❚ The mantra: pay me exorbitantly well, and I’ll deliver extraordinary results. ❚ ❚ The trade-off: these firms demand a return on their investment.
See JAMIE CLAIRE KISER, page 12
THE ZWEIG LETTER August 28, 2017, ISSUE 1214
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