MEET A FEW OF OUR EXPERTS

inclusivity. “We know that diversity of thought and background brings a richness to our organization and helps us to better serve our customers and clients,” states Shri Ganeshram, CEO and founder of this San Francisco-based real estate brokerage and property management company. “By creating a welcoming and inclusive culture, we’re able to attract a diverse pool of talented individuals. In today’s competitive job market, it’s important to stand out and offer something that other organizations can’t.”

Ganeshram believes that diversity is a key driver of growth and innovation, and the MIT-educated mathematician makes a concerted effort to build an inclusive and diverse workforce.

Focus On The People You Have

Emmy and Peabody award-winning journalist, NBC News special anchor and seven-time New York Times bestselling author Maria Shriver has a different approach to winning the war for talent. Shriver, the co-founder and CEO of MOSH—a mission-driven company she founded with her son, Patrick Schwarzenegger—looks to educate consumers on what they eat and drink and how it impacts their mental and physical health. Shriver uses her company’s socially-conscious ethos not only to reach customers but to give her employees a purpose that matters to them.

“Our success in retaining talent is because our entire organization is mission-driven and committed to our cause rather than the bottom line,” says Shriver, who spoke exclusively with The Lens . “While it’s more important than ever to tell consumers why your business is socially beneficial for the long term, putting purpose first gives employees something to aspire to outside of making money. And when they know they’re working for something bigger than themselves—not just the bottom line—they’re more willing to go the extra mile. But it’s essential to reinforce your mission and values daily to keep the momentum going strong.”

Shriver has reported on what happens as employees continue to leave their jobs to work for companies that effect positive change in society and the environment. “Building your purpose into your brand story helps to attract top talent motivated to work for the greater good,” she says.

What Shriver and others have come to understand is that an organization can get more from the people they already have. “By identifying top performers in every role, they’re able to narrow gaps in performance and profitability very economically,” argues Jamie Torchiana, president of Marylandbased Exemplary Performance, a management consulting firm focused on getting more out of an organization’s high performing employees rather than looking for new hires.

“Capturing what is the best in a role provides the model of excellence for hiring based upon the accomplishments of a role and not skills and competencies,” she says. “This allows for a learning-led organization, where everyone is supported and strives to achieve the benchmark.”