Work/Life Balance and Climbing the Corporate Lattice

Work/Life Balance and Climbing the Corporate Lattice

Work/Life Balance

Last month I had the great privilege of hearing several of Deloitte’s HR executives give a presentation about their new career development strategy – which they call the Corporate Lattice.

This year Deloitte is ranked #70 on the Fortune 100 “Best Places to Work” list. After learning about this innovative lattice concept it is clear to me why they earned such outstanding recognition from their employees.

Deloitte’s lattice offers the company – and its employees – opportunities to benefit from placing high potentials in strategic positions through lateral promotions, not just traditional vertical ones. A leader may be able to contribute the most not by going up the ladder, necessarily, but by being placed elsewhere on the lattice. The company offers attractive packages to augment base salaries, so that those who accept a lateral move are generously and appropriately compensated. Not only does this benefit 45,000 global employees, but it also strengthens the company and loads their talent pipeline for sustainable and competitive growth. They retain their top talent while further preparing high achievers for greater leadership responsibility.

Meanwhile work/life balance issues have become more important – which presents a tremendous challenge to big organizations. But the lattice paradigm allows executives to temporarily take a step back in order to care for an elderly parent, for example, or to pursue a global project across the pond that gives them a greater sense of meaning and purpose in life. After they have taken the time they need to grow and develop in their personal lives they return rejuvenated and ready to make outstanding contributions to the organization.

I love Deloitte’s corporate culture because they want people to grow their careers by growing in place. By moving leaders through their corporate lattice structure they are providing a great value to the organization and its people.

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Sarah Hathorn is a leadership development mentor, executive presence coach, image and branding consultant, public speaker & author. She is the founding CEO of her own successful company, Illustra Consulting, and the creator of the proprietary Predictable Promotion System™.

Blog, Ezine & Website: www.illustraconsulting.com
Copyright © 2011, Sarah Hathorn, AICI CIP, CPBS

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