Many companies embrace the theory of aligning human resources with the business. At Lincoln Financial Group, we’re putting it into practice.
I joined the company in late 2008, in the heart of the market crisis, where things were as challenging for us as they were for other financial services firms. But it was the best career decision I could have made.
While many companies focused on simple survival, we concentrated on reinvention, literally recreating the company to make human resources a true strategic partner by helping the organization acquire and retain the right talent, develop and motivate employees and focus resources. We implemented pay-for-performance, then provided people with development tools to maximize their achievements.
To stimulate employees, we offer people opportunities to engage, do interesting work and feel a sense of accomplishment. As a result, the loyalty and love for this company is awesome today.
But, it hasn’t been easy. We are grooming a workforce that follows new rules about career development:
- It may seem obvious, but we want people to understand the business they work for, its strategic direction and how they fit in. You’d be surprised how many employees nationwide don’t understand their companies.
- We underscore that at every stage of your career, you are responsible to network – not to socialize, but to learn. That means learning from peers and colleagues. Identify people you admire, and then look for opportunities to spend time with them.
- We seek people who work hard, deliver well, meet deadlines and maintain unwavering personal and professional practices. Integrity cannot be taught.
- We consider promotions an opportunity to prove to superiors that they made the right decision. We want our employees to exceed expectations.
I’ve always believed a career is a lifelong quest for knowledge. At Lincoln Financial Group, we facilitate that knowledge – of the company, the industry, the market – to empower employees to be real partners in our collective success and fuel their personal career development.