Is Marcus Buckingham right, “People join companies but leave managers”?

The evidence is clear but many managers are unaware of the pivotal influence they hold

Marcus Buckingham’s salutary warning (from ‘First Break all the Rules’) is often quoted.  The way this dynamic starts is that many people target employment with a specific company because of its reputation as a great place to work. After all, if you’re looking for a new job you might as well start with companies who have a reputation of being very good to their employees.

A well-known example is the John Lewis Partnership – it’s virtually impossible to find a ‘disengaged’ employee at John Lewis, everyone has a sense of ownership and clearly loves working there.

Companies that sustain such an excellent reputation with their employees derive many valuable benefits.  Engaged front-line employees go the extra mile, so create engaged customers - customer advocacy, loyalty and repeat business is assured. Also, engaged employees take less sickness absence, are more productive and innovative, and are less likely to leave.