Walker Words to Remember

walkerWhen it comes to employee loyalty and its impacts, the Walker consulting firm is king. I had the opportunity recently to talk to the second-generation leader of that company, now chairman emeritus Frank Walker, who was an early pioneer in the areas of corporate social responsibility, business ethics and more.

You can read more from Walker in the March-April BizVoice magazine (on p. 56). But here’s a bonus insight on the employer-employee relationship: and never totally shutting doors with prized team members

“Several people have been credited with this line,” Walker says: ‘You need to train your people so they have the skills to leave you, but treat them so well they don’t want to.’

Walker adds: “We have lots of people who left us and come back. We have some we have to say, ‘They’re growing faster than we are right now and we can’t hold them back.’ But it’s 10 years later and Brenda has the skills, she’d love to come back, we have a spot for her now.

“They become a fantastic resource. Other people are saying, ‘I don’t know about this place.’ They (the returning employee) can say, ‘I’ve been over on the other side; let me tell you something that goes on here that doesn’t happen there.’ “

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