by Debbie Ruston, Featured Contributor
There is a lot of reference being made to the old “talent war era”, and today’s era of “new normal, and there is a dramatic difference between the two.
To describe workers in the talent war era, “all you had to do was show up and not mess it up” It was an era when “worker bees” were the focus. Management simply wanted people to show up, don’t question, 
and do their job. This has created a negative effect on engagement in the workplace. People do not feel valued, they do not care about the mission statement of a company, they have been conditioned to just do their job and go home…hoping they are not next on the chopping block of downsizing.
To create the “new normal” referred to, the focus has to be put back on the most important asset of a company – their people. When people feel valued, feel they have input and that they matter to an organization, they give more. Personal responsibility and leadership rises. Employees start giving positive ideas and feedback, the culture changes to a happier more productive workforce, that is working together to achieve results for all involved. This is a different mindset totally and a culture that all companies should be striving for.
This new normal can be developed to turn organizational results around, but as with any change, leadership must be willing to address the change necessary and stop living in the past and holding onto what worked in the talent war era. Change means doing things differently to achieve a different result. It’s a simple concept that many in business miss because they are holding on to what worked in the past.
