Is a One-Size-Fits-All Approach Costing You Top Talent?

Empty office with 8 chairs and not customization

We all have something that makes working the traditional 9-to-5 tough and untenable.

Since launching my own business in 2011, I've spent countless hours coaching – formally and informally – passionate, mission-driven leaders trying to squish full lives into traditional 9-5 employment structures. No matter the season of life, they each long for lasting impact in their careers while maintaining some semblance of work-life balance.

“Not thinking it’s possible is a failure of imagination”

-Vinod Khosla

Your leaders are no different. They’re:

  • Navigating parental leave and new parenthood

  • Juggling dual careers and growing families

  • Caregiving for aging parents

  • Adjusting to empty nests

  • Recovering from burnout

  • Managing long-term illnesses or special needs

  • Preparing their teams for their retirement

Through all of these coaching conversations, I am constantly struck by:

1. Each Individual’s Awe-Inspiring Talent: I'm consistently impressed by the ambition, passion, expertise, and results these leaders bring to the table. They are the backbone of any organization.

2. Smart Organization’s Missed Opportunities: But I'm also disappointed by the lack of creativity most well-meaning organizations show in accommodating these leaders' needs and exploring new ways of working to fit their unique situations. 

Despite the remarkable talents and dedication these leaders bring, it’s alarming to witness organizations risking the loss of such valuable assets unnecessarily and refusing to adapt to the reality that:

  • 1 in 2 employees are open to leaving their organization, many due to inflexible work cultures and lack of well-being and work-life balance (Gallup)

  • 38% of mothers would leave or reduce their hours without work flexibility (McKinsey)

It’s no surprise that independent contracting continues to grow.

Outgrowing the One-Size-Fits-All Approach

If the last few years taught us nothing else, it's that there are different ways to work effectively. Working from home, for example, became the norm for many, proving that productivity and impact can go hand-in-hand with flexibility and remote work.

The reality is that few people would willingly conform to the traditional 9-5 schedule and many people are unable or uninterested in continuing to work that way.  Organizations need new and nontraditional talent strategies that:

  • Attract all individuals that can positively impact their organization’s goals, not just those looking for full-time traditional work.

  • Retain valuable leaders who are navigating shifts in their lives, not leave them in a lurch due to outdated practices and inflexible policies.

  • Sustain an inclusive work culture that fosters innovation, impact, and well-being for all, regardless of individual work arrangements and preferences.

What’s that old saying by Henry Ford? “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” 

Your one-size-fits-all talent strategy is costing you top talent who need and want different options.

It’s time to try something different.

Crafting Tailored Talent Strategies

As a strategic HR advisor to senior leaders in mission-driven organizations, I specialize in developing innovative, customized talent strategies that unlock your organization’s potential. To move beyond one-size-fits-all, how is your organization thinking about:

Flexible Work Options

Not everyone is able to or wants to work in a full time, traditional employment structure.

  • When does it make sense to move beyond traditional employment structures and try a nontraditional talent approach like remote work, compressed workweeks, part-time options, or fractional staffing?

  • How can you assess how these approaches align with your existing goals, people, and policies, ensuring seamless integration and maximum effectiveness? 

Life-Stage Supports

Different seasons of life require adjustments in how we work and the supports we need to manage it all.

  • What do your people crave based on their age and stage - like career coaching, flexibility, child or eldercare support, home management tools, and more - and how can you help managers differentiate their support intentionally to meet these specific needs?

  • How might you identify life-stage support offerings for your workforce and establish metrics to gauge the return on investment (ROI), ensuring they deliver tangible benefits to both your people and the organization?

Leadership Development for Sustainable Work

Growing your impact as a leader without succumbing to (or subjecting your team to) burnout is both counterintuitive and deeply personal. One thing is certain: the answer does not lie in doing even more work or attending even more meetings.

  • How can you equip individual leaders with the precise skills, mindsets, and networks they need to drive growth and impact without burnout?

  • What existing leadership practices or structures could be streamlined or even eliminated to create space for your leaders to focus on what truly matters for their teams?

In our rapidly evolving work landscape, embracing tailored talent strategies isn’t just a luxury; it’s a necessity for staying ahead.

Ready to move beyond a one-size-fits-all talent approach?


 
 
Danielle Pickens

Danielle Pickens brings over two decades of experience in developing mid to senior-level leaders and teams within K12 public education, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations.


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