Retaining the Best

Retaining the Best - What can I do?

Hiring the best people is one thing, retaining them is another. In this very competitive job market it is important for managers to stop and think of ways to retain good staff. Not long ago, managers were encouraging employees to take early retirement and redundancy packages. How things have changed!

Today managers are eager to retain good employees. When you invest a lot in your employees, you create a very valuable asset. You naturally want to hold onto them and keep them motivated.

What does it take to retain and maintain those employees? It's not just about money, titles or shareholder value. How can you improve the environment in your particular part of the organisation?

Here are some tips for you to consider:

Create an environment where employees feel right - communicate with your team members and find out what makes them tick. Know about family, hobbies, interests and philosophy of life.

Give them a sense of purpose - that sense of purpose is a great motivator. Make people feel important - give them an understanding of how their work and contribution fits into the big picture.

Recognise and Praise. Suggestion - write and send a thank you card commending and thanking them for a job well done. Order a pizza for your employees to celebrate a significant event or even no reason at all.

New Jobs Create Disillusioned Workers

Recent reports have concluded that the reality is rarely the same as the promise when it comes to taking a new job.

Figures from Morgan and Banks indicate that 71.2% of male and 70.8% of female respondents found that the reality of the new position did not meet the expectations they had formed during the interview. 73.1% of those aged 25-35 claimed that they had been disappointed with their new jobs compared to 56.5% of those aged 55 and over.

The report also concluded that those in the higher income brackets are least likely to be disappointed by the reality of a new position, with those in the lower income brackets being the most likely.

Source: Human Resources magazine - Issue 1.4

If you have any questions, human resources issues to discuss or would like to give any feedback in regards to this newsletter, please don't hesitate to email me - mnovotny@discoveringpeople.com.au

Michelle Novotny

Managing Director

Discovering People