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What we do:

Ethos provides advisory services to help large companies, both public and private, improve their own abilities to recruit, on-board and retain executives (hence The “ROR” Program™) and thereby overall productivity and profits. We highlight ROR as a “value stream” (see the diagram provided separately). The ideal client is already committed to doing some of its own recruiting; it already acknowledges the importance of on-boarding; and it has a commitment to a leadership program that will result in the retention of its best people. We believe that high retention rates start with clear and compelling communication that is initiated as far back as the recruiting process. The client has a steady need to recruit and promote executives every year. The client wants to continuously improve their processes in finding, assimilating and promoting the best talent. It is in the context of continuous improvement that we play a role. We work with a client to recognize how ROR can be linked together to maximize productivity.

How we do it:

Ethos starts by diagnosing how well the current efforts are working. We determine how the client company defines success in ROR currently. We focus on the measurements of success needed to meet the company's growth plan.

We then incorporate The ROR Program into the existing systems at the company. We do this by introducing the concept of “Management by Expectations™” or “MBE” model (see the diagram provided separately). By helping companies understand and implement ways to articulate and share expectations, even in a rapidly changing environment, we set a path for better understanding how companies can really meet their goals and keep their best executives. We have a broad array of techniques and tool kits we employ. We presume we are going to capitalize and build on the inherent skills and qualities in the company. We work with the culture of the company, not against it. We identify ways for the best qualities of the company to come out and be reflected in recruiting, on-boarding and, ultimately, retention.

Important to note:

The value stream of ROR allows us to “un-bundle” our services. Those companies that feel they have an excellent sourcing program for candidates both internally and externally, may be more interested in implementing the on-boarding and retention aspects of our model. Others may wish to make adjustments to their recruiting and on-boarding models, but keep their retention programs as they are. We can work among any of these needs, in any industry, public or private, for-profit or not-for-profit.

The results of what we do:

The company will be in a position to increase the number of hires without outside help. It will reduce the time to make these hires. The match between the company's expectations and those of the candidates will be significantly better, which will translate into better performance sooner. It will make the on-boarding and assimilation of these new hires more productive. This will in turn increase the likelihood of retaining the best performing executives. The reputation of the organization as a great place to work will be enhanced. The company will have an edge in the war for talent. Executives will be less likely to move, because they will value the uniqueness of working in an environment where expectations are openly discussed and vetted. They are more confident and secure and will think twice about abandoning an environment that is so clearly focused on letting them succeed.

Short term benefits:

The company will immediately have a more effective program for recruiting, on-boarding and retention of executives. It will result in better hires more quickly. For public companies, it will provide a means to a professionally documented system to help in compliance needs, especially in light of Sarbanes-Oxley. The program will have a broad buy-in among hiring executives and human resource professionals. Recruiting confidence will be higher. On-boarding will immediately be more relevant and will help secure long-term retention. The company will have another competitive advantage in the war for talent. Profits will be boosted because of the decline in costs relating to ROR.

Long term benefits:

The company will have connected its business plan to its plan for hiring, developing and keeping the best talent it can. Executives will tie their performance to a set of expectations and values that they learned from their very first exposure to the company and reinforced throughout their careers with the company. Retention of executives will improve. The veteran executives will share this approach with the executives they, in turn, will bring into the company. Expectations will translate into action plans and into more of the positive results management and shareholders are seeking.