This document discusses an approach called Job-to-be-Done (JTBD) for understanding employee needs and helping them make progress. It identifies four common reasons or "clusters" employees change jobs: 1) seeking a supportive environment for growth, 2) regaining balance and flexibility in time allocation, 3) taking their next career step, and 4) finding appreciation for their expertise. The presentation encourages shifting perspective from filling open jobs to understanding what progress employees seek to make. It provides questions to better understand employee needs holistically and examine how well a company supports different types of progress.

1. October 5, 2022
Bob Moesta
Founder | CEO - The Re-Wired Group
Adjunct Lecturer | The Kellogg School
of Management @ Northwestern
Are Your Employees
Making Progress?
A JTBD approach to Hiring, Mentoring and
Retention
Katherine Thompson
Principal – The Re-Wired Group

2. © Bob Moesta 2022
Meet
Bob
JTBD
Detroit
Entrepreneur
2

3. © Bob Moesta 2022
JTBD
Coach and
Advisor
Job
Changer
Meet
Katherine
3

4. Why Do People Choose New Things?
© Bob Moesta 2022 4
A
(The Old Way)
B
(The New Way)

5. © Bob Moesta 2022 5
3500 + Products & Services

6. How does
JTBD
Apply to
Career
Change?

7. Why Change Jobs?
© Bob Moesta 2022
Employees don’t just
work for companies,
they “hire” them to
help them make
progress in their life.
A
(The Old Way)
B
(The New Way)

8. What are the set of dominoes that
have to fall?
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9. Progress is Caused:
JTBD Forces of Progress
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A
(The Old Way)
B
(The New Way)

10. Jtbd Timeline:
the process of making progress
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11. We Interviewed People who made a
Change
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12. © Bob Moesta 2022
A Wide Variety of Individuals

13. What Were the Causal Mechanisms?
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14. Think Back To Your Last Job Change
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What pushed YOU to make a change?

15. Do These Pushes Apply to You?
15
W
hen I…
15
ü Don’t respect or trust
the people I work with
ü Feel like the work I’m
doing has little or no
impact on the
company or world
ü The way I’m managed
is wearing me down
ü My current company
is struggling and the
end feels near
ü End up with a new
manager and feel like
I’m starting over
ü Feel disrespected/not
trusted
ü Realize I’m at a personal
milestone/life event
ü Reach a milestone in my
career
ü Realize work is
dominating my life and
I’m sacrificing time for
myself or my family
ü Am challenged beyond
my ability or logic or
ethics
ü Am NOT challenged
and/or bored in my
current work
ü Can’t see a place for me
to go or grow in my
current organization
ü Feel like I’m on my own,
ignored and not
supported at work

16. Think Back To Your Last Job Change
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What pulled YOU to your next role?

17. Do These Pulls Apply to You?
17
So I can…
ü Have more time to
spend with others in
order to carry my weight
ü My values and beliefs
are aligned with the
company and the people
I work with
ü My job fits into my
existing personal life
ü Reset my life and start
over
ü Gain skills for a future
job or career
ü Be acknowledged,
respected and trusted to
do great work
ü Find an employer who
values my experience
and credentials
ü Feel like my job is a step
forward for me and in
the eyes of others
ü Have the freedom and
flexibility to do my best
work
ü Have time for me
ü Be recognized for my
work’s impact on others
and the business
ü Have a supportive boss
who guides me
ü Be part of a tight-knit
team I can count on
ü Be challenged, learn
and grow
ü Find a job I know I can
do
ü Support my growing
responsibilities

18. When You Think Back, It’s not Random!
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19. Four clusters emerged
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20. The Clusters We Uncovered
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JTBD 1
When the way I am
managed is wearing
me down and I can’t
see a way to grow in
this job, help me find
a supportive
environment so I can
be challenged, learn
and grow on the job.
JTBD 3
When I have
reached a personal
milestone and my
responsibilities are
growing, help me
find an employer
where I can take the
next step in my
career.
JTBD 4
When my current
employer does not
value my experience
or credentials, help
me find an employer
who will appreciate
my expertise so that I
am respected and
acknowledged.
JTBD 2
When I am
overwhelmed at
work, help me find
an employer who
values my
experience so that I
can regain freedom
over how I allocate
my time.

21. Which One(s) Resonate With You?
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JTBD 1
When the way I am
managed is wearing
me down and I can’t
see a way to grow in
this job, help me find
a supportive
environment so I can
be challenged, learn
and grow on the job.
JTBD 3
When I have
reached a personal
milestone and my
responsibilities are
growing, help me
find an employer
where I can take the
next step in my
career.
JTBD 4
When my current
employer does not
value my experience
or credentials, help
me find an employer
who will appreciate
my expertise so that I
am respected and
acknowledged.
JTBD 2
When I am
overwhelmed at
work, help me find
an employer who
values my
experience so that I
can regain freedom
over how I allocate
my time.

22. How Can We Help Others Make
Progress?
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23. The Old Paradigm
“Companies Hire Employees”
The New Paradigm
“Employees Hire Companies”
Reference Point: The company + Fill Job Opening Reference Point: The Employee + Their progress
Flipping the Lens

24. Two Perspectives:
Supply-Side v. Demand-Side
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25. Disconnect Between Company &
Employee
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26. The Job Description
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27. The Resume
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28. It Seems Like A Fit, But...
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29. So…
How Can We Help Our Employees?
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30. We Built a Prototype
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Weighting &
Making
Tradeoffs
Prototyping
New
Opportunities
Uncovering
Dimensions
Understanding
Your Energy
Drivers &
Drains
Unpacking
Your Career
Timeline

31. Meet Russell
ü 15 years experience
ü CPG Marketing &
General Management
ü Husband and father
ü Midwest Native

32. What Did Russell Do?

33. Ask Yourself…And those Around you
© Bob Moesta 2022
• What makes you wake up excited
in the morning?
• When are you in flow?
• What drains your energy?
• What work do you dread and
find yourself putting off?

34. Think Holistically…It’s Not just About
the Job
© Bob Moesta 2022

35. So…
How Can We Help Our Employees?
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36. Ask More (And Better!) Questions
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• Happens in the moment, real time
• Demonstrates you are listening
• Conversational
• Unpacking situation and outcomes
• Focus on them, not you/the
company and what you want to
accomplish

37. It’s All About Understanding The
Progress They Want to Make!
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Employees don’t just
work for companies,
they “hire” them to
help them make
progress in their life.
A
(The Old Way)
B
(The New Way)

38. Think Pushes & Pulls
© Bob Moesta 2022 38
A
(The Old Way)
B
(The New Way)

39. It’s not just about asking questions
More Abstract
More Concrete
Pablum Layer of
Conversation
(Rigorous, Enjoyable etc.)
Fantasy Layer of
Conversation
(Solutions, Features, etc.)
Causal Layer of
Conversation
(Who, When, Where, Why)
I care about work-life
balance.
I am a long time rock climber
and try to climb two nights
per week. It’s important to
me that I find a job that
allows me to keep this up, as
rock climbing is an important
part of how I relax and focus.
I can work better because of
it.
I want time for myself
to do the things I love to
do.
© Bob Moesta 2022

40. What Questions Might you ask to
Understand Employee Progress?
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JTBD 1
When the way I am
managed is wearing
me down and I can’t
see a way to grow in
this job, help me find
a supportive
environment so I can
be challenged, learn
and grow on the job.
JTBD 3
When I have
reached a personal
milestone and my
responsibilities are
growing, help me
find an employer
where I can take the
next step in my
career.
JTBD 4
When my current
employer does not
value my experience
or credentials, help
me find an employer
who will appreciate
my expertise so that I
am respected and
acknowledged.
JTBD 2
When I am
overwhelmed at
work, help me find
an employer who
values my
experience so that I
can regain freedom
over how I allocate
my time.

41. Then Examine Your Own Company…
© Bob Moesta 2022 41
• Which JTBD do you serve well?
Why?
• Which JTBD might you not serve
as well?

42. Use JTBD to Match Features &
Benefits
© Bob Moesta 2022 42
• What about your company’s offerings
(benefits, structure, style of work, etc.)
resonate with each JTBD? Why?
• What about your company’s offerings
DO NOT resonate with each JTBD?
Why?

43. Does What You Say Speak to Employee
Progress?
© Bob Moesta 2022 43
• Do your job descriptions speak to the
progress your prospective employees want
to make?
• How about your onboarding?

44. What Do You Really Want From a
Product Manager?
© Bob Moesta 2022

45. How Can You Get Started?
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• Unpack language – ask follow up questions of
prospective employees, direct reports and
colleagues. Work to understand what progress they
seek in their employment.
• Are your employees making progress? Uncover the
struggling moments experienced by your employees.
• Explore what trade-offs you – or your company can
make – in order to help employees achieve progress.

46. If You Want more….
© Bob Moesta 2022 46
• Take our course – scan the
QR code
• Read Bob’s books
• Contact us to talk about a
larger engagement
46
Now Available Out 2024

47. Thank You
Bob Moesta
@bmoesta
bmoesta@rewiredinc.com
47
© Bob Moesta 2022
Katherine Thompson
kthompson@rewiredinc.com