ColumnistsAug 16, 2022
The PR Adviser: Describe Your Customer ColumnistsAug 18, 2022
Squirrel Spotting: The Travails of Attracting and Retaining Talent
The job market is tight, making it paramount for employers to have the type of culture employees really crave, Peter Smith writes.
Peter Smith is an industry consultant, speaker, sales trainer, and author. He can be reached via email at TheRetailSmiths@gmail.com.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate now stands at 3.5 percent, matching the lowest rate in 50 years.
Retail, in fact, has recovered so well that there are now 208,000 more people employed in the sector than in February 2020, the month before the onset of the pandemic in the United States.
As impressive as those numbers are, however, they signal potentially significant problems for employers in both attracting new talent and, more importantly, retaining their top people.
We are now firmly ensconced in a “buyer’s market” in which employees hold most of the cards. Rarely have they had such leverage when it comes to deciding to stay with their current employers or seek greener pastures elsewhere.
According to Zippia, 65 percent of Americans are actively searching for a new job right now.
In the 2001-2007 version of The Best of Gallup Management Journal, Brian Brim wrote, “Though companies may recognize how crucial it is to engage their workers and may even acknowledge that it must be an ongoing process, the essential principles of employee engagement have not become ingrained.”
If 65 percent of employees are actively searching for new jobs, it is hard to imagine that circumstances have changed much in the 10-plus years since Brim’s article.
Retail, in fact, has recovered so well that there are now 208,000 more people employed in the sector than in February 2020, the month before the onset of the pandemic in the United States.
As impressive as those numbers are, however, they signal potentially significant problems for employers in both attracting new talent and, more importantly, retaining their top people.
We are now firmly ensconced in a “buyer’s market” in which employees hold most of the cards. Rarely have they had such leverage when it comes to deciding to stay with their current employers or seek greener pastures elsewhere.
According to Zippia, 65 percent of Americans are actively searching for a new job right now.
In the 2001-2007 version of The Best of Gallup Management Journal, Brian Brim wrote, “Though companies may recognize how crucial it is to engage their workers and may even acknowledge that it must be an ongoing process, the essential principles of employee engagement have not become ingrained.”
If 65 percent of employees are actively searching for new jobs, it is hard to imagine that circumstances have changed much in the 10-plus years since Brim’s article.
“Stop bullshitting people about how great your culture is. If it were true, you wouldn’t be losing people.”
So, what can be done? How can employers mitigate against the possibility of losing their top people and also become more attractive to quality professionals looking for a change?
For starters, stop bullshitting people about how great your culture is. If it were true, you wouldn’t be losing people, and you’d be decidedly more attractive to candidates already in the market for a new job.
You can determine what’s important in your company; the way you treat your people, the compensation structures (for good or bad), whether you invest in your people or not, the things you celebrate, and the things you tolerate.
Despite that, to a great extent your culture is not what you say it is but, rather, what your people experience on a daily basis.
You may believe your culture reflects your values and aspirations, but it may read entirely differently to your current team and to potential new hires.
I visited with a company recently and witnessed a culture that was as close to soul-sapping as I could have imagined. Despite there being lots of people in the space, there was no energy at all in the building.
The employees didn’t look like they were having much fun, and I saw precious little evidence of people joyfully engaging with each other.
As I walked around, I noticed that the desks and cubicles were devoid of the personalization so typical of these types of offices, with scant evidence of family, hobbies, or other interests.
There also was no music playing; the overall effect was of a dour, uninspiring, and impersonal space.
I suspect the leadership of that company would be shocked at my observations, preferring to believe, as many do, that they have a vibrant company culture.
What I saw and felt however, was very different, and that is what I took away with me.
At the most basic level, people want to feel safe and connected at work.
They want a company and mission worth believing in, and they want to know their voices will be heard, and their opinions matter.
They want a culture that prizes innovation and recognizes and welcomes mistakes as a necessary consequence of that open mindset.
Roger Martin, former dean of the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, wrote in the Harvard Business Review (March-April 2022), “Do you have to listen to everything top talent has to say? Of course not. But recognize that talented people don’t take kindly to being dismissed out of hand. And they always have options, options that may be highly damaging to you.”
They want the opportunity to make money in a company that does not impose a ceiling on the earnings of its top people, but what they really want is a career path, an opportunity to do great and meaningful work.
They want to be surrounded by other top talent, and they want a company that invests in them, and which gives them an opportunity for professional development.
They want a company where loyalty is a two-way street (that does not mean the absence of turnover, but a clear sense of what matters most in hiring and exiting employees) and one where all employees are treated with respect, including people who are leaving, or have left, the company.
They want a company where wins, big and small, are celebrated, and where disappointments are acknowledged and owned, without stigmatization or over-dramatization. Good teams don’t suck because a company has a bad month.
As Jim Collins wrote in “Good To Great,” “What do the right people want more than almost anything else? They want to be part of a winning team. They want to contribute to producing visible, tangible results. They want to feel the excitement of being involved in something that just flat-out works.”
If you are one of the many companies still offering an hourly wage and one week’s vacation as an incentive to retain and attract top talent, you’ve got a tough road ahead.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Columnists
The Latest
CollectionsFeb 21, 2025
Piece of the Week: Jade Ruzzo’s ‘Tennessee’ Oval Drop EarringsHeidi Gardner, an SNL cast member, wore the smoky quartz earrings on the “SNL50: The Anniversary Special” red carpet on Sunday.
SourcingFeb 21, 2025
Zambia Lifts 15% Export Duty on Gemstones, Metals The reversal comes less than two months after the Zambian government reinstated the tax in an effort to bring in more money.
MajorsFeb 21, 2025
24 Karat Club of New York Names New PresidentThe organization also announced its newly elected officers and directors.
Brought to you by
Get Ready for the JA New York Spring ShowThis year will feature a new MJSA Showcase and partnership with Piazza Italia.
SourcingFeb 20, 2025
Anglo Writes Down Value of De Beers by $2.9B As anticipated, Anglo took another impairment charge on the diamond miner and marketer, which saw revenue sink 23 percent in 2024.
Weekly QuizFeb 21, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingFeb 20, 2025
Harry Winston’s Son Donates Fancy Red Diamond to the SmithsonianRonald Winston is giving the 2.33-carat “Winston Red” to the Smithsonian, 67 years after his father donated the Hope Diamond.
SourcingFeb 20, 2025
GJEPC Names New Chairman, Vice ChairmanKirit Bhansali, a partner in Smital Gems and chairman of India Jewellery Park, will take on the role of chairman.
Brought to you by
3 Ways to Capitalize on America’s Newfound Love of Colored GemsColored stones are stepping into a jewelry spotlight typically reserved for diamonds—are you ready to sell color?
IndependentsFeb 20, 2025
IJO Elects 4 New Board MembersAlisha Cornett, Nic Faini, Eric Stevens, and Seth Shipley have joined the organization’s board of directors for a three-year term.
CrimeFeb 19, 2025
Brink’s to Pay $42M After Admitting to Illegally Transporting MoneyThe company has to pay the Justice Department and FinCEN for violating the Bank Secrecy Act, the U.S.’s main anti-money laundering law.
SourcingFeb 19, 2025
Diamond Mining Company CEO Steps Down Amid Sales Slump, LayoffsPetra Diamonds Ltd. CEO Richard Duffy resigned as the diamond miner reported a 30 percent drop in sales to start its fiscal year.
MajorsFeb 19, 2025
Cartier Opens New Store Inside LAXThe boutique is the French luxury brand’s first airport store on the West Coast.
CollectionsFeb 19, 2025
Swarovski’s NYC Flagship Celebrates Ariana Grande CollabThe store’s facade now features the iconic swan logo and campaign images of the “Wicked” star.
Policies & IssuesFeb 18, 2025
New Customs Requirements for Diamond Imports: What We KnowBeginning in April, companies importing diamonds into the United States will have to list the country in which the diamonds were mined.
AuctionsFeb 18, 2025
A Menagerie of Fabergé Coming to Sotheby’sAround 30 whimsical Fabergé animal carvings will go up for auction at Sotheby’s Geneva in May.
SourcingFeb 18, 2025
Celine Assimon Stepping Down as CEO of De Beers JewellersAssimon will be leaving at the end of February after nearly five years with De Beers.
CollectionsFeb 18, 2025
Tabayer Debuts Its First Men’s Jewelry SelectionsDesigns from the brand’s “Oera” collection have been reimagined with modern masculinity in mind.
SourcingFeb 14, 2025
Navneet Gems Now Offering Unheated Montana SapphiresThe wholesale collection features material from the Rock Creek mine in a variety of colors.
CollectionsFeb 14, 2025
Carolyn Rafaelian Partners with ‘Long Island Medium’ StarThe “Divinely Guided” collection, created in collaboration with Theresa Caputo, features symbols that celebrate the power of connection.
CollectionsFeb 14, 2025
Piece of the Week: Lorraine West’s Diamond ‘Open Heart’ RingShow some love on Valentine’s Day with this 14-karat yellow gold ring that features pavé diamonds.
CrimeFeb 13, 2025
Macy’s Employee Foils $1.5M Jewelry Theft The employee confronted the thief, causing the suspect to flee and leave behind the suitcases full of jewelry.
SourcingFeb 13, 2025
Namibian Diamond Co. Suspends CEO, COO After Deadly Heist Namib Desert Diamonds also put its security manager on leave following last month’s robbery that left one employee dead.
Events & AwardsFeb 13, 2025
AGTA Announces Buyer’s Choice Award Winners for Spectrum, Cutting EdgeAGTA recently concluded its 2025 GemFair event in Tucson and is already gearing up for next year’s show, set for Feb. 2-6, 2026.
CollectionsFeb 13, 2025
Royal Chain Releases Its Spring 2025 CatalogMore than 400 new pieces are featured in the supplier’s latest catalog.
TrendsFeb 13, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Hearts for Valentine’s DayThis curation celebrates love with heart-shaped jewelry of all shapes and sizes.
Policies & IssuesFeb 13, 2025
Jewelers Relief Fund Reopened to Aid Victims of LA Fires The fund is collecting money for jewelry businesses damaged by the wildfires in Los Angeles County.
TrendsFeb 12, 2025
5 Engagement Ring Trends Expected to Rule 2025From chunky bands to vintage diamond cuts and bezel settings, these are the trends experts are seeing take over the bridal market.
