Equiped to Get the Job Done

I came across an article in USA Today titled, Some employees buy own laptops, phones for work. The article reports that more and more professionals are buying their own electronic equipment to get their work done. This includes equipment like cell phones and even laptops!

Nearly 40% of professionals recently surveyed by researcher In-Stat paid for a laptop that they regularly carried. Cellphone users often picked up their bill. And company-provided personal digital assistants (PDAs), cameras and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are relatively rare, says the survey, released Monday.

As many organizations start to withdraw spending on materials and equipment, professionals are having to take matters into their own hands and purchase their own equipment. This reminds me of research done by Buckingham and Coffman. Their research paper summarized the twelve key factors in retaining star employees (there's a connection here - question #2 relates to employees having to purchase their own equipment).

In a nutshell, if employees can answer the below questions in the affirmative, then the work environment is probably very strong and productive:

1. Do I know what is expected of me at work?
2. Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?
3. At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?
4. In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for good work?
5. Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?
6. Is there someone at work who encourages my development?
7. At work, do my opinions seem to count?
8. Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel like my work is important?
9. Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work?
10. Do I have a best friend at work?
11. In the last six months, have I talked with someone about my progress?
12. At work, have I had the opportunities to learn and grow?
    

As a manager, the above points are worth reflecting upon.

USA Today Article [link]
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