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Another from my Jeffrey Pfeffer pile of clippings The High Price of Workplace Mistrust, B2.0, December 2006. Unfortunately, you can't read the essay online. (Perhaps the editors didn't think it was very important.)
The bigger problem are the disaffected employees that stay on.
Prof Pfeffer makes a link between the increase in turnover since 2004 to the current practices of employers based on distrust. He cites that turnover of executives, salespeople, and production employees has nearly doubled and turnover of professional and technical staff is up about 70%. During the same time the American Management Association reports that 76% of employers monitor employees' website connections, 55% retain and review email messages, monitoring of phone usage has jumped from 9% to a 51%, and testing for drug use has become standard. While Prof Pfeffer doesn't offer any statistically valid study linking the loss of privacy to increased turnover he makes it clear that he believes a link exists.
What needs to be done? Pfeffer answers,
"So perhaps it makes sense for companies to rethink their approach to employee rights and align them more with those of investors and board members."
Perhaps. I don't know how he thinks companies can do that. But it is clear that disaffected employees are not only a drain on our projects and on the company when they walk out with their know-how and know-why. The disaffected employees are a drain for a long time leading up to their departure. But at least they depart. The bigger problem are the disaffected employees that stay on.
? Guy Kawasaki wrote, "Less is the new more." Easy to learn: symmetry, seduction, subtraction, and sustainability. Very valuable to do. Step 1: Read Matt's book!! just 140 keystrokes.
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