View from the mountain top

Top-level decision making significantly impacts junior-level employees; frequently not in the way they intended.  These decisions set the tone for corporate strategy, resource allocation, and they ultimately influence the work environment, opportunities for advancement, and job security for those lower down the hierarchy.  Top-level decisions focusing on expansion, diversification, or restructuring, inevitably cause changes for junior-level employees which often not appreciated.  Layoffs, reassignments, or changes in departmental structures create uncertainty, affect morale, and decrease worker-productivity.  On the flip side, decisions that prioritize employee well-being, skill development, and growth opportunities can boost junior-level employees' engagement and loyalty.

It's vital for any leadership team to get this right. I frequently encounter organizations that embarked on strategies creating two different perspectives.  From the mountaintop, the leadership team sees an organization embarking on changes that will make them more profitable and competitive.  All too often, the perspective for everyone else is very different.  This disparity leads directly to increases in attrition, poor employee performance, and low-level results from recruitment.  Aligning these two perspectives helps any organization keep the people they have, and become more selective regarding the people they hire. 

Everything starts with your people.