Last week, Marti and I were in Arcata, California working with an intergenerational group of leaders. It did my heart glad to see a 15 year alterna-gal working with the President of Humboldt State University.
It also reminded me that city and regional government can only do so much to create an environment that attracts and keeps talent. Parks? They can do that. Tax incentives? Yup. But companies have to do their part, too. Humboldt County is a beautiful place to live, and many people choose to live there. But if the local employers are draconian in how they treat their employees, Arcata loses. Eureka loses. Humboldt loses.
So, if you lead a company - in any city - do you part. Be a great place to work. Be the kind of place that your youngest employees - heck, ALL of your employees - love to work. They’ll tell their friends, and you’ll become a magnet for economic development, and a darling in your community.
Don’t take it from me…what’s your story? Can a great community overwrite a truly terrible boss? Would you stay in a city even if all the job prospects were pure crap?
And for those of you who’ve hit the deuce: you’ve got a great job AND a great workplace…brag it up. We want to be inspired!
Comments
I couldn’t agree more. We local government folks are super happy to have companies willing to work expansively within the community. Not only in the charity work that so many do, but in a community friendly aspect (e.g., working within the framework of local regulations, being a good citizen, etc). I love that I work and live in Williamsburg, VA. It is a place full of great things just for me (age 40) and my family. I also appreciate the local businesses that work so hard to sponsor events beyond the historical that Williamsburg is known for.
