Shawnee Love   •  
October 9, 2015

Just as location is critical in real estate, reputation is critical in recruitment and retention. Reputation of the employer that is.

On that note, I am watching Volkswagen with an avid eye after their shocking revelations about how they gamed the emissions testing system.

I’d be willing to bet that an unprecedented number of resignations are coming into their HR departments as enterprising recruiters are searching for Volkswagen employees on LinkedIn and giving them a “friendly” call.

Some employees may stick around hoping to demonstrate loyalty, but many will be looking to jump ship and thus be quite open to the opportunities presented.

Let’s face it, no one wants to be associated with a sinking ship. This is particularly true for the ambitious and top talent because their career pedigrees get discussed, published and evaluated each time they come up for promotion or are appointed to new boards, committees or projects.  A past employer with questionable ethics and a battery of legal suits will tarnish the career of even the most brilliant rising star.

The moral of the story is to pay attention to your reputation because your employees and potential employees will.

I for one can’t wait to see where things go with Volkswagen. How about you?