"The People Factor" – How PEOPLE are making Irish Businesses Succeed

What could Pepsico Ireland , DoneDeal and Mamukko  (a new, up and coming upcycling business based in Kinsale) possibly all have in common?

The first answer is they are all exciting companies that are experiencing success, albeit at vary different stages.

The second answer is very simple, and it is what all businesses have in common, people. But it is a bit more than that; they pay particular attention to the "people factor" of their business. They are conscious of the pivotal role that people play in their business success and rather than take it for granted, they give time, care and attention to how they manage their respective "people factors".

Your people factor could refer to the culture of your organisation, your recruitment practices, your employee engagement practices, your change management practices and not least, your leadership.

My work is all about helping organisations get their people factor right. For years now I have helped leaders deal with people crises, engage positively with change and build successful engaged workforces. It is a subject I am passionate about. I believe getting your people factor right is critical for success for numerous reasons.  It is what is going to deliver you innovation, creativity, flexibility, loyalty, accountability and responsibility. It's a no brainer really!

But I recognise that there is no one way to get your people factor right. It is different for every organisation depending on size, environment, history, context, leadership and industry sector.

There are many organisations in Ireland already getting the people factor right in their own unique way. I think we can all learn from them. I am not suggesting that we try to imitate any of them but we can take inspiration from them. We can take ideas to apply to our own particular situations and we can grow our own unique, successful people factors.

Over the next number of months, I intend to seek out and interview organisations where it is obvious that there is something special happening with the people, where you can see that they are making a huge contribution to the organisation's success and where that contribution is recognised and acknowledged. I am going to share the stories of what I learn here with you.

I fully expect to be inspired by and to learn from these organisations. And if you are a leader, owner, manager, HR professional or any interested party, my sincere hope is that you will join me on this journey of learning and that you too will find inspiration and practical guidance for your own organisation.

If you have an interesting people factor story you want to share with me, don't be afraid to contact me, either through the comments below, or at [email protected].