"The Price Tag on People: How Companies Value 'Their Greatest Asset'"

The Recruitment Strategy: Cost > Quality

If people are so important, you’d think recruitment would be treated with the reverence of assembling a superhero team. Instead, most companies treat it like shopping for off-brand cereal: go cheap, and hope it tastes the same.

The Bargain Bin of Candidates: Hiring decisions are often driven by cost above all else. Why pay for someone qualified when you can lowball an underqualified candidate desperate to make rent?

The Partner Pecking Order: Recruitment partners are selected based on their willingness to slash fees. Sure, you might miss out on top-tier talent, but you saved a whopping 2%.

Rushed Job Descriptions: Half the time, job postings are vague laundry lists of buzzwords that don’t actually describe what you’re looking for. “Dynamic, adaptable, entrepreneurial spirit?” Sounds great. What does that mean, though?

It’s like declaring you want Michelin-star quality, then sending your recruiter to buy ingredients at the dollar store.

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Onboarding: Sink or Swim

If people are your most important asset, surely you’d invest in a comprehensive onboarding process, right? Wrong. Here’s the usual drill:

1. Dump a pile of documents on the new hire and call it “training.”
2. Introduce them to their team via a hastily written Slack message.
3. Hope they figure it out before quitting.

Imagine buying a Ferrari and then refusing to put gas in it. That’s how most companies handle their so-called valuable assets.

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Retention? What’s That?

Companies love to wax poetic about retaining top talent, but when it comes to actual retention strategies, they’re about as thoughtful as a bad Tinder date.

• Development Opportunities: Translation: "Watch a 3-hour online course no one else on your team has ever completed."
• Work-Life Balance: Translation: "We let you log off at 10 p.m. instead of midnight."
• Employee Perks: Translation: "Here’s a coupon for 5% off at a chain restaurant you’ve never heard of."

Retention efforts are so half-hearted, it’s no wonder employees leave for a 5% pay bump elsewhere. And when they do? Companies act shocked, as if they expected eternal loyalty in exchange for free coffee and an annual pizza party.

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The Race to the Bottom

When recruitment is driven by cost-cutting, you’re not just saving pennies, you’re perpetuating a race to the bottom. Cheap hires mean high turnover, low engagement, and a workplace culture where mediocrity thrives.

It’s like trying to build a mansion out of straw. Sure, you saved some money upfront, but now you’re living in a house that collapses every time the wind blows.

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If People Were Really Your Most Important Asset…

Let’s imagine for a moment that companies actually believed their own slogan. What would that look like?

A Thoughtful Recruitment Strategy: Instead of picking the cheapest option, you’d partner with recruiters who understand your needs and prioritize quality.

Competitive Compensation: Pay people what they’re worth, instead of wondering why your budget-friendly hires are scrolling LinkedIn during meetings.

Meaningful Onboarding: Invest time and resources into setting new employees up for success. You know, like you would with any other valuable asset.

Career Development: Offer real opportunities for growth, not just a vague promise of “learning and development” with no actual budget behind it.

Retention Focus: Recognize that keeping great employees is cheaper (and better) than constantly replacing them.

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The Real Reason Behind the Slogan

Why do companies keep saying “our people are our most important asset” when their actions say otherwise? Simple: it sounds good. It’s a cheap way to signal that you care about employees without actually having to invest in them.

It’s like telling your spouse, “You’re the love of my life,” and then forgetting their birthday every year. The words are meaningless without action.

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A Humorous Solution: Asset Managers for Humans

If people really are assets, maybe companies should start treating them like their physical ones. Imagine hiring an “Asset Manager for People.” Their job?

• Ensure regular maintenance (a.k.a. training and development).
• Track depreciation (a.k.a. burnout).
• Optimize for long-term value (a.k.a. retention).

And if employees feel undervalued? They can trade themselves on the “Human Asset Exchange,” where companies bid for talent based on their actual worth. Maybe then, businesses would stop treating their people like replaceable commodities.

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Final Thoughts: Actions Speak Louder Than Slogans

The next time you hear a company say, “Our people are our most important asset,” ask yourself: Are they actually backing that up, or is it just empty corporate-speak? Because if people are so important, you’d think they’d do more than hire the cheapest candidates, skimp on onboarding, and act surprised when everyone leaves.

Until then, let’s call it what it is: “Our budget is our most important asset, and people are a distant second, unless they ask for a raise.”

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