How Do You Get Good Employees to Stay?

In a completely scientific non-random sampling, 2 of my 3 sisters have gotten new jobs in the past two weeks. In both cases, they were frustrated with their roles at their employers and were able to move on to jobs/environments that were a better fit.

Many organizations had to cut back during the recession leaving employees with more work and fewer resources. That makes the timing ripe for turnover in those organizations now that the economy is improving.

Some turnover is inevitable and there are times when good people leave an organization for reasons beyond your control. Those are the times to break out the cake and balloons and wish them well with a nice send off. But what about that star employee that you should have been able to keep? Wouldn’t you rather know what he or she has to say about the organization and what you could do to keep him around?

There’s a not so new concept called a “stay interview” that is a great tool to use. The idea is simple; you interview your good employees and ask what it would take to get them to stay, before they give their notice. This is also a great time to let them know they are appreciated and that you value the work that they do.

As our economy continues to pick back up, we’ll have more opportunities for our organizations to grow, but that also means more opportunities for our employees to leave. That’s why this is an ideal time to ask them how they view their future with us.

Curious about my third sister? She was recently promoted. I didn’t ask if her boss did a “stay interview”, but it’s entirely possible. In any case, she’s going to stay.

How do You Handle Election Times?

This is the season for elections and this year there’s more excitement than ever. There’s the potential for a power shift in Congress, a new party in town keeping things stirred up, and healthcare reform in the middle of the fray. Is it fun to talk about? You betcha!

While we’re certainly interested and are watching what happens, the question HR people and business owners should be asking is: “How is this election impacting our employees and our work environment?”

Regardless of whether you support the donkeys, elephants, tea drinkers, or the green people in the elections this year, here are some things that you should do to minimize the impact of politics on your workforce:

• Keep campaign materials and signs out of the workplace. Want to put out a sign? That’s why you have a front yard.

• Discourage political debates. As a leader, you can (and should) re-direct political conversations that occur when you are around.

• Keep your political views to yourself. Chances are your staff already knows what you think. Why make them any more uncomfortable if they don’t share your views?

Politics make for fascinating discussions and some exciting debates. They can even be fun in the right venue, but at the end of the day, you will want your employees to be able to work together after Election Day. Help make that a reality.

HRM Innovations, LLC is available to help with any questions you may have on HR or Management related topics and can be contacted at: Kevin@HRMInnovationsllc.com or 269-615-4821.