For over two decades now, I've been teaching companies and people how to flip their thinking and approach the world of work a completely different and more profitable way. Now, after a successful career with really great companies like AT&T, Eastman Kodak, Microsoft, Capgemini and others, I can conclusively say that employee "happiness" and longevity is best answered by three questions every employee wants to know from their employer.

• Does anyone know I’m here?
• Does anyone care about me?
• What’s next for me?

These three questions address the basic human need to belong and to have someone care about them. Relationships and purpose are two, key factors that often determine how happy, productive, and profitable people can be. Granted a big paycheck helps pay the bills but the "psychological paycheck" is even more powerful. Unlike the salary cost that impacts a company's profit and loss statement, the "psychological paycheck" is backed by unlimited resources and will pay dividends that continue even after the money in your wallet is long gone. Think about a time that your manager or a peer connected with you on a personal level. How did it make you feel? Did it make a difference on how engaged you were or how dedicated you were to ensure the success of your team?

Does Anyone Know I'm Here?

It’s easy to get lost in the fast-paced and sometimes virtual workplace. However, success is simple. 

• Send a quick note or email.
• When in person, look people in the eye and use their name.
• Recognize them for something specific they did at a meeting or in a broadcast communication.

Does Anyone Care About Me?

The best leaders that I've worked with have one thing in common. They know their people. In fact, most spend up to half or more of their day talking with their employees and getting to know each one personally. When trust is established, people are comfortable sharing things. Strong leaders know things like birthdays, likes and dislikes, names of important people (spouse, kids, significant other, etc.) and share the same from their own lives. The ability to build a strong interpersonal relationship among employees is a powerful measure of a leader’s ability to succeed. People don't just do things they are told to do. Things get done because people want to help.

What's Next for Me?

Your best people don't show up to be average and do the same thing forever. They want to build a career. In fact, all the top companies that I have worked with or consult for engage people by helping them build a career development plan and put it in action. This plan sets the foundation for career development, recruitment and selection, performance management, succession planning and compensation across the organization.  

People want to know what success looks like for their future, how to develop themselves to to further their career and be able to track where they are along the journey. It's such an important part of the talent management strategy that I was asked to created a coaching video by one of my largest, global clients to address this topic. In that video, I challenge people to think like a Career Rockstar and be a winner in today's war for talent. You can view the video, You 2.0: Reinvent Yourself, HERE.