People don’t quit their jobs, they quit their bosses: Five tips to retain your best employees
- BY MYB
In Aspire & Lead
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Why are smurfs blue?
Some questions are perpetually baffling, and our next cipher certainly belongs in that category. Most managers can rattle off Business Review facts about employee retention being critical to the success of a business. Why do they thencontinue to behave in ways that force great employees to keep quitting?
“When asked what their company's No. 1 asset is, smart leaders will answer that it's their employees,” says Marla Tabaka in an inc.com piece. “Yet a whopping 50 percent of employees who leave a company do so because of their relationship with the boss.”
That’s not all. Losing critical employees can also trigger a chain of stress across a business. Employee retention is one of the primary measures of the health of an organization. If you are losing critical staff members, you can safely bet that other people in their departments are looking out as well.
So how do you curb your losing streak and keep critical performers happy and engaged?
Experts suggest building a culture that allows top performers the opportunity to make a difference, and take pride in their achievements so they remain productive for years to come. Here are five ways in which great leaders keep their top performers hooked and their business outlook sunny!
- Allow them to speak their minds.Top performers are generally insightful, which means they will have critical opinions. The smartest managers don’t fear these opinions, but work to create an environment where an employee can express herself. Ask yourself: Is your organization a place in which people are comfortable providing feedback? If so, employees offer ideas and commit to continuous improvement. If not, they bite their tongues or find themselves constantly in trouble - until they leave.
- Understand their goals.Take the time to discover their personal goals and find a way to tie them into the goals of your business. For example, if someone has aspirations to start a business, allow her to pursue entrepreneurial endeavours inside the company.
- Help them Grow.Your best employees seek frequent opportunities to learn and grow in their careers, knowledge and skill. Without the opportunity to try new opportunities, attend seminars and undergo new training, they feel they will stagnate. A career-oriented, valued employee must experience growth opportunities within your organization.
- Create a connection.Top performers, or difference-makers, are looking to make a deep connection with not only their work, but also the people they work with. If you are a managing a great employee, adopt a leadership style that resonates with him. Remember, these people don't quit their jobs, they quit their bosses.
- Surround them with high-calibre colleagues. Allow your top talent to collaborate and reap the exponential benefits of the collaboration with similar minds.
And finally, there is a single maxim at the heart of all the tips above:In order to stick around, your employees must feel rewarded and appreciated. Bring your staff donuts once a while and compliment their work generously. It helps.
