A spot on Glassdoor's Top CEOs list is a tremendous achievement. After all, employees decide which leaders make the list. Curious what winners have in common and how it helps them recruit top talent? Here are four key attributes of Top CEOs.
#1. Emphasize Company Mission
- Continuously promote their company mission to attract people who can get behind it
- Ensure that a sense of purpose is woven into job descriptions to attract right-fit talent
“We find that most people who come to work at Kaiser Permanente are motivated by our mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve,” says chairman and CEO Bernard J. Tyson. "I look for executive candidates who can advance a change agenda by taking in data and perspectives and then acting decisively to deliver outcomes. I look for people who can create impact by engaging others with the “why” – not just process or tactical approaches – and then how they can motivate employees to follow."
#2 Exemplify Positive Culture
- Establish a shared set of values that fosters community and inspires referrals
- View positive culture as a good business strategy and survey employee sentiment accordingly
“I remember the first day, when I showed up in my small office, just me by myself,” says Zoom Video Communication CEO Eric S. Yuan. “And I asked myself a question: ‘What kind of company do I want to work for?’ The number one thing I wanted to say, and I want our employees to say, is that they are happy. I need to make sure I’m happy, and that my employees are happy. Asking myself that question, I realized if I’m not happy, my kids, my family will be impacted. Our employees will also be impacted. So that’s why our company culture is to deliver happiness. It’s personal to our company’s values. We’re going to care about each other, really focus on delivering happiness to each other. Ultimately, as a company, we deliver happiness to our customers.”
#3 Communicate Clearly
- Actively monitor approval ratings on Glassdoor and respond openly to reviews
- Keep lines of communication open so teams stay aligned on recruiting strategies
“Technology is rapidly changing the business landscape – and our profession – and we must ensure we have the talent with the requisite skills to meet the fast-evolving needs of our profession,” says KPMG CEO Lynne Doughtie. “For example, across all of our service areas – we need professionals with data and analytics experience and knowledge of emerging technologies, and our talent acquisition strategies reflect that.”
She continues, “Today’s marketplace is creating never before-seen opportunities, so we seek people with an innovative spirit that embrace change and have the vision and passion to steer our firm into the future.”
#4 Nurture Great Leaders
- Promote employees who show great motivation and potential to take your teams to the next level
- Bring on new executives who align with the company mission and are motivated to grow and empower their teams
“A big part of this is creating a values-based culture centered on employee engagement,” insists Boston Scientific Michael Mahoney. “When employees are engaged and feel they are doing meaningful work, they care more about the company. We see more innovation, more teamwork, calculated risk taking, better execution and more global thinking. With greater opportunities for growth, employees are more likely to stay. It is also important that we foster a workplace that supports the growing demands and expectations of a highly diverse, multi-generational, mobile workforce. We provide employees with a variety of benefits like on-site daycare and fitness facilities in some locations, resources for back-up and after-school childcare, flexible work arrangements and meal-planning services to help employees integrate life and work. We understand that our employees are at their best when we can help them manage the pressures of life outside of work and we continually assess our benefits to help meet those needs.”
