Are you treating your employees like gold?

Press Release
Stretton Clothing
15 November 2013
For Immediate Release

Are you treating your employees like gold?

After the announcement that Miners in Waihi will be out of work for several months' next Christmas before Newmont Waihi Gold's controversial Correnso mine starts production Stretton Clothing CEO, Annah Stretton asks all business owners to consider the importance they place on their team – especially during the Christmas season.

Newmont Waihi Gold general manager Glen Grindlay said managers had been talking to underground crews for the last few months to advise them of the situation.
"We are doing everything we can to retain a skilled and specialised workforce, but in the end it may be that we have a gap of several months during which there will be no work for most of our underground employees. It is certainly in our best interests to keep our staff, and we will do everything we can to do so, but if Correnso does not start production until 2015 there will be very limited work for any underground staff."
Newmont Waihi Gold’s value placed on its team are a stark contrast to that of Overland Footwear which was recently voted the winner of the Kenexa Best Workplaces Survey 2013 for the second year. As a study solely based on the opinions of employees, businesses are looking to the footwear giant for lessons on successful company culture.

Stretton believes she too has the keys for establishing an organisation that prides itself on its people.

“My success came from quickly learning that a company wasn’t just a collection of roles, process and products. I needed to develop a culture and a brand that spoke clearly of its vision and dreams,” Stretton says.
“People are the most valuable asset this company has and they have the potential to make or break my brand every day.”

In today’s highly competitive job market retaining and attracting the right people is crucial and a company's employer brand makes all the difference. Getting this brand right enables the employer to recruit highly skilled employees and keep their loyalty, it raises the company’s visibility in the job market and makes it stand out from the competition.

In Stretton’s latest book, Rock the Boat she provides 10 essential leadership keys to establishing an effective team…

8: Learn to make the tough calls
Do not ignore poor performance by anyone. Address issues and set expectations

Your business may not employ the numbers that Overland or Stretton Clothing does but it does have an employer brand whether you want it to or not. So ask yourself; if I was looking for work what would make me want to work here?

There are many factors that help form your company’s employer brand. These include: How people perceive the financial health of your company? Does your company offer good learning and development alongside job security? Is there an opportunity for career progression? What type of manager or leaders are there? What sort of perceived culture is there?

Think about things like: Do people see my employees having a good work/life balance? Are we seen as flexible? How do people see our values and image?

Look at your product and services: How do they reflect the employer brand? Where are you located and how do you use the latest technology?
Ask yourself: How are you perceived environmentally and are you seen as societally aware? Do you reflect diversity?

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