Retaining Talent In The Information Age

In order to operate successfully, a company needs top notch talent. Top notch talent works most productively on their own time.

Now that remote work has become the norm for many tech companies, the likelihood of keeping anything better than average talent if you don't allow remote, or at least flexible work, is slim to none.

Contrary to popular belief, Millennial and Gen Z employees are not entitled. These generations value different things than their generational predecessors.

Health, wealth, and happiness are the values of the new successful. Balanced lifestyles are at the top of these generations' priorties.

It's hard to be healthy and happy if one is required to be in the office 8-5pm. Some do best exercising in the morning. Some do better in the afternoon. But there's plenty who would prefer to exercise right smack dab in the middle of the work day.

Some enjoy going for a walk in the sunshine. Or sitting on the porch mid day. Some, who are lucky enough to live in places with mountains or beaches, enjoy getting some powder turns in or catching a few waves.

There's no way to always accurately predict when the snow will fly or when the surf will be up. Having the flexibility to take advantage of these unique life experiences is crucial to many in today's age.

Who wants to sit at a desk every day 8-5pm until you're 60 and look back on your life wishing you would have taken advantage of more powder days? Not me.

I believe there is nothing wrong with this mindset, and in the information age, it will be crucial. The flexible work day  increases overall well being and this, in turn, leads to higher productivity. The old belief that time in seats is a contributing factor to productivity is far gone.

Managers within companies with old school mindsets are fighting to make their team members come into the office. But really, they're fighting because they're scared they'll lose the control and power they once had.

Office politics in the information age will decrease because talent will be hired and rewarded strictly on productivity.

The highest paid employees of the future will no longer be the highest up in the company or the best at navigating office politics. The highest paid employees of the future will be the best at their craft.

People can't perform at their best if they're told when and how they have to work. Some people are most productive in the morning hours, like myself. Others do their best work after dark. My brain doesn't function at night.

80% of the time between 2-5pm, my brain is 20% useful.

80% of my most productive work is done in the first 20% of my work day.

I know this about myself, and therefore I'm going to stack the cards in my favo when it comes to scheduling my work. But if I had a manger telling me when I had to be at work, i'd go crazy.

Come to think of it - this is exactly why I quit my job at HPE in 2017.

Happy employees = productive employees

Productive employees = successful company