Golden Handcuffs are still Handcuffs

I get it – companies want to keep their best people.   Makes sense.

What doesn’t make sense is to shackle them to keep them in your company.

And I’m not saying it doesn’t work – I’m sure there’s many a talented person that stayed at an organization longer than they wanted to because of benefits, phantom stock, an earn out or something of similar ilk.

It’s like consensual blackmail.  The consensual sounds nice, the golden part sounds good too, it’s the blackmail and handcuffs that somehow kill the pleasant ring.

Do you want to be a company where people work there because they feel like they have to?

Or because they want to?

Employees who show up because they want to usually care about the company, their colleagues  and themselves. They believe in working in a workplace that’s good for them – good for their spirit and good for their sense of pride.

If you’re a company that’s implemented golden handcuffs – chances are you put these in place out of fear of losing someone and because you simply didn’t know any other way.  Perhaps you yourself feel shackled to your business and feel like you have to offer “incentives” to encourage others to stay.

Don’t shackle your people to secure that they show up.  Instead inspire them to choose to show up with their spirit and self-respect intact.

How do you do that?  You do that by creating an extraordinary company culture where most days people look forward to coming to work (yes, it’s possible!)  There’s a reason why that one company down the street that’s known for being a great place to work has a line of applicants out the door – many of whom are willing to get paid a little bit less than the competition because it’s worth it.  It’s worth feeding their soul and maintaining their dignity.