James Paterek Discusses Human Capital and Why it is Important to Help Employees Reach Their Potential
Business leader and executive James Paterek says the key to attracting and maintaining top-notch employees is to build a culture that makes people feel valued and respected.
When it comes to the management of human capital and how to get the most out of it, business leaders have been perplexed for decades. Business guru James Paterek says that the management of employees is often not nearly as difficult or perplexing as top-tier managers and human resource professionals make it out to be. The CEO and business leader stresses the need for those in management positions to not just listen to, but pay greater attention to their workforce. “There are any number of things that can occur during the course of a day that can draw attention away from employees. I can’t stress enough the importance of taking some time to address employees, after all those are the folks who are driving the revenue.”, James Paterek said.
Mr. Paterek stated that one of the biggest issues in companies of all sizes is the communication gap between those who are in upper management positions and those who are the day-to-day workers. “I have conducted workshops where CEOs have admitted that they have little to no relationship with their shift employees. That is a huge red flag for me because if there is a disconnect between top-tier management and their employees, the company they represent is not doing nearly as well as it ought to be. One of the primary reasons people choose to walk away from their jobs is because of a lack of recognition.”, James Paterek said.
There have been a number of studies and surveys conducted that have shown the culture of the workplace dictates the attitudes and the actions of employees from the highest levels of management to shift employees. “I often hear from workers that they just don’t feel like they are valued by their management team. On the other side of the fence, I hear human resource professionals and members of the management team say that there seems to be a line of division between them and their employees.” James Paterek said.
“I am amazed when I hear this because so many of the managers I speak with don’t realize that in many instances they are the cause of the them versus us culture that has manifested in their organization. I have seen people in management look down at the floor as they walk past an employee so that they don’t have to speak to them. That type of behavior sets a specific type of tone and establishes a culture which says, we value you if you wear a suit and tie, but we don’t have any respect for you if you don’t. As sad as it is, I don’t believe for a moment that these types of actions are intentional, however, they do happen, and they absolutely shouldn’t.”, James Paterek said.
Employees need to feel like they are valued, and that there is value in what they do, otherwise employers can expect low employee satisfaction scores and high employment turnover rates according to Mr. Paterek. “It is all about building a culture for success for the company as well as employees. Studies have shown that employees who feel valued and respected perform better and produce at higher levels. Showing acknowledgment and respect through acts as elementary as speaking can dramatically increase the bottom line of any business. It also makes employees feel like they have a vested interest in the company and motivates them to strive to reach their greatest potential. There really is value in just taking a moment to say hello.”, James Paterek said.