Let's face it - while we go to the office to work, no one is expected to keep their head down the entire time they're at the office -- not speak to anyone else, forego the occasional cigarette break if they're a smoker. Yet companies productivity out of their employees - that's why they're paying you!



No talking or socializing at all is one extreme, while the other one is that you can talk to whomever you want, whenever you want.

The balance struck between these two extremes is one way to judge how “people oriented” a company is.

Another factor is whether a company sponsors outside-the-office events or activities for employees, and whether they are voluntary or mandatory.

The phrase “people oriented” is generally used to convey something vaguely like a company where everyone is pleasant and happy and people smile at each other when they pass in the halls. It's fun to work there, everyone likes their job, and each employee is treated well and fairly. Know any companies like that?

"People oriented" is another ambiguous phrase that needs defining to make sure your definition is the same as the company's definition - and that you can spot a difference if there is one.

First of all, saying you want to work at a "people oriented" company assumes that there are companies that are not people oriented. But what does a company that is NOT people oriented behave like? Is there such a thing? Probably, yes. But do they know it? High turnover is usually a clue, but an amazing number of companies never identify that as a problem.

Most companies consider themselves people oriented. Indeed, most people consider themselves "people oriented"!

So in many of those same companies, there's likely to be a significant difference of opinion on what "people oriented" means, depending on who you ask: senior management, staff, customers, or other businesses; depending on whether they like their job; depending on what kind of day they're having…..or depending on if they have to put on a face to interview you.

You've probably had a boss or a co-worker who has considered himself people oriented, yet perhaps the person is rather aloof. Maybe you've had a boss who moves through the halls waving a cheery “hello” to his employees, but when you go looking for him, he's never available. Perhaps you've worked for a company that rarely promotes from the inside, because they want "new blood" in the organization.

Another examples is the CEO who is jovial with his employees, knows everyone by name, but through policies and procedures, makes life miserable for those who work there. Each of these individuals might claim to be people oriented, but in reality, what might seem to that person as people oriented, looks to others like a lack of awareness and unwillingness to look inwardly at the truth.

So what do you mean by "people oriented"? Do you want a company that:

• Promotes from within?

• Doesn't frown on gathering at the water cooler?

• Has routine company parties and other office-wide gatherings?

• Has managers who are accessible?

• Considers its customers of paramount importance both in philosophy and actuality?

• Is involved in its community and requires each employee to join or participate in a specific event once or twice each year?

When you take the time to look closer at what the phrase means to you, you'll discover that some aspects of being "people-oriented" are more important to you than others.

Knowing what you mean by this phrase gives you the power to discover if the company's definition is the same as yours.

Copyright: Judi Perkins, VisionQuest