The changing nature of industry requires managers to ask what approaches can they take to achieve optimal results from employees. But the concerns over the changing dynamics of the labor force tend to lead to misguided tactics in dealing with issues of talent cultivation and retention. In trying to create a winning work culture, managers all too often rely on simple fixes and cheap perks such as a pet-friendly work environment, or a fully stocked beer fridge. But are such approaches successful in attracting talent? Do they demonstrate an attempt to make people their top priority? Rob Friday’s Talent Optimizer process shows us that the key to answering these questions does not lie in surface-level adjustments, but in foundational goals.

Rob Friday first asks readers and clients to reconsider the role that labor has in a company and to view it as a crucial investment. By understanding labor as an investment, managers can begin the process of talent optimization by looking beyond the immediate benefit of a “quick hire.” Too frequently, hiring depends on acquiring candidates with skill and experience. By doing so, managers overlook their role and its place in the healthy marriage between employee and employer, and how they themselves are a major source for optimizing results. Rather than hiring the candidate who simply meets the desired skill-set and level of experience, managers should consider the importance of value alignment. Identifying vital internal values and priorities can allow managers to better define, design, and build a company culture that encourages employees to generate their best efforts. Such is the Talent Optimizer process.

Why does all of this matter? Because hiring the wrong person can be costly and detrimental to a company. Depending on the role of an employee, or the industry they work in, making the wrong hire can be exponentially expensive. And as Rob Friday shows readers, a bad hire trickles down throughout a company, affecting all those around them. By utilizing the principles of the Talent Optimizer process, managers can develop a criterion that is objective and measurable for hiring and retaining top producers. But enforcing such monumental change within a company isn’t for the faint-hearted: it requires a deep sense of dedication towards building a long term strategy for a high-performance work culture. Think it’s easy? Rob Friday dares you to take on the challenge.

For those who are interested in becoming a transformative leader in their business and industry, be sure to get your copy of Talent Optimizer by Rob Friday, available today!