Season 9 Episode 15: Culture: The Transfer Portal Isn’t Just in Sports

Season 9 Episode 15: Culture: The Transfer Portal Isn’t Just in Sports

If you follow college sports, you’ve undoubtedly heard the constant buzz surrounding the “transfer portal.” It’s a dynamic online marketplace where student-athletes can signal their availability to move to new teams, often influenced by the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) era allowing them compensation. While the system brings opportunities for fair value and new beginnings, it’s also creating a “Wild West” environment. But as Jason Barger explores in this episode of The Thermostat podcast, this concept of a talent marketplace—this transfer portal—isn’t confined to the athletics arena. It’s happening right now in workplaces across the globe.

Summary: More Than Just a Transaction

This episode examines the parallels between the high-profile movement of athletes in the collegiate transfer portal and the significant talent shifts happening in the business world, often referred to as the “Great Resignation” or “Great Reshuffle.” Jason Barger points out that millions of employees have voluntarily left their jobs in recent years, creating a highly competitive landscape for talent acquisition and retention.

While some commentators, like ESPN’s Seth Greenberg in the context of sports, suggest that recruiting has become purely transactional and money-driven, Barger offers a different perspective applicable to all organizations. He argues that while fair compensation is essential, it’s rarely the sole or even primary driver for employees. Research consistently shows that people crave a meaningful corporate culture, strong leadership, connection, and development opportunities. Studies indicate that a vast majority of employees would choose a more positive and engaging team culture over a slightly higher salary.

Therefore, Barger contends that “transformational recruiting”—attracting and keeping people based on vision, values, and a thriving organizational culture—is more critical than ever. He shares examples of organizations significantly reducing turnover and boosting productivity not just by adjusting pay, but by intentionally focusing on leadership development and shaping a culture where people feel valued and engaged. The organizations that succeed long-term are those that build a compelling “why” and “how,” fostering an environment people genuinely want to be part of, moving beyond simple transactional relationships.

Notable Quotes

• On the Central Analogy: “So on today’s podcast, we’re talking about the transfer portal that is happening in sports, but also acknowledging that what is happening across workplaces in our world, perhaps the transfer portal isn’t just in sports.”

• On the Workplace Shift: “The most dramatic and obvious example of this is what was referred to as the great resignation in 2021… This began what has now been described as the great reshuffle… The transfer portal, if you will, has been open and employees have shown that if they don’t feel the vibe, the love, the fit in their in your organization, the statistics tell us they will go somewhere else.”

• The Transactional Viewpoint (Seth Greenberg): “Transformational recruiting is over. It’s all transactional now in the portal and only about money into the future.”

• Barger’s Counterargument: “I completely disagree… for the majority of humans, and I would say the best organizations, it has never been and never will be, only about the money… what will ultimately make the biggest difference are the leaders and people within an organization that make the culture more meaningful, how they do what they do is more attractive than just the money.”

• The Power of Culture (Gallup Stat): “Gallup who studies this… for years they’ve told us that nine out of every 10 people choosing between jobs where the compensation is on similar levels… will take actually less money for what they deem to be that more meaningful culture.”

• The Disconnect: “In an even more recent Gallup study, only 20% of employees say they feel connected to their organizational culture. And yet 90% of them say that’s exactly what they want.”

• The ROI of Culture: “Retaining the great people you have, instead of that revolving door of hiring and training… And finding great cultural fits… is huge… we also know that more engaged… workforces are 22% more productive…”

• Leadership Responsibility: “We are all ambassadors for the life and for the cultures that we want to be a part of creating and we get to make them and create transformational experiences for our people rather than just fall into that transactional mode of business.”

• Best Practices Summary: “The best practices that I see the best organizations putting into place are, yes, competitive compensation… They have a compelling vision… They have clarity on the culture… They also… have intentional strategy and development… And lastly, they listen and they evolve.”

Question to Ponder

As leaders and team members navigating today’s dynamic talent environment, how are we approaching the “transfer portal” within our own organizations? Are our strategies primarily transactional, focused heavily on compensation, or are we intentionally building a transformational culture—one with clear vision, strong connections, and meaningful development—that attracts and retains the right people for the long term?

Links and References

Article for more info about workplace trends https://www.uschamber.com/workforce/understanding-americas-labor-shortage-the-most-impacted-industries#:~:text=A%20closer%20look%20at%20what,flexibility%2C%20increased%20compensation%2C%20or%20a

For more insights and practical tips, be sure to check out Jason V Barger’s book Breathing Oxygen. This book dives deeper into the concepts discussed in this episode and provides additional strategies for fostering a positive mindset and effective leadership.

Visit ThermostatCulturesLive.com referenced in this episode

By incorporating these practices into your summer routine, you can breathe new life into your personal and professional endeavors. Remember, as Jason says, “The best leaders, teams, and cultures on the planet stimulate progress by recalibrating their thermostat together.”

Our next episode will feature Reciprocal Accountability. Stay Tuned!