Make the job fit your employee

Some common sense from Toronto career coach Stephen Freidman in yesterday’s Financial Post.

He wonders why, when people discuss the "fit" between employee and employer, the focus is always on how well the employee fit into the organization, rather than the other way ’round.

“If organizations want to win the war for talent and attract the best and the brightest, it makes more sense for them also to consider how well the organization fits with its employees.”

At a time when so many companies are crying out for new talent, he says employers need to be more innovative about what it takes to attract and retain good people.

For instance, employers must be prepared to accommodate employees who have interests and responsibilities outside of work. He cites a new employee who was unable to commit to five days a week – and instead rejuvenated the position by working only three days a week. Sadly, the company's president insisted on finding a full-timer, and let the prized part-timer walk away.

Freidman warns that there are many dedicated part-timers in today’s workforce, especially among those aged 25 to 35, who consider their "career" to include work plus family, friends, interests, etc. “This way of looking at work and careers is becoming the norm,” he says.

The moral: Stay loose. Be flexible. Don't be blinded by conventions – such as the 40-hour work week – that were created for a different time and a less creative world.

You can check out the original article here.