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Padlocking the Revolving Door on Turnover
February 25, 2008
Company loyalty and long-term job tenures often seem like relics from a bygone era, but does constant turnover necessarily have to be the status quo for most companies?
Not at all, says Peter Handal, chairman, president and CEO of Hauppage, N.Y.-based Dale Carnegie Training (dalecarnegie.com). On the contrary, Handal says there are certain steps businesses can take to ensure their employees stay engaged and loyal. These include the following:
• Support employees in building strong skill sets. Top talent is often hired to support a project or strategic initiative. At the point employees believe the project is losing visibility or their learning curve is slowing, they begin to consider leaving the project, the department or the organization. By supporting employees in building both technical abilities and transferable skills (communication, confidence, leadership and people skills), an organization can demonstrate their interest in the development of their employees. A more holistic approach to employee development is a key first step in employee engagement.
• Prepare employees for (and support them during) times of transition. Individuals face transition in both their personal and professional life. Starting a new job, taking on a new role and moving to a new location are all times when the transition can overwhelm an employee. By helping employees prepare for job and role transitions, supporting them during the transition and then recognizing their successes in the new situation, organizations can create a connection with employees—one that strengthens their engagement with the team and their willingness to help others during their times of transition.
• Foster a sense of ownership within employees. The old encouragement to "act like you own it" is good advice. The challenge is making the adage practical. It is difficult to build a sense of ownership when the plans, activities, and details are dictated to you. Managers need to find ways to actively engage employees in contributing ideas to plans, activities and outcomes. The more employees share in the rewards of success and are supported in turning failures into learning and growth opportunities, the more they can build a sense of ownership for their projects and become fully engaged in providing successful outcomes consistently.
• Help employees see the link between current efforts and future opportunities. When employees view their efforts as a disconnected series of activities, it's easy to begin looking for other opportunities where their work can be more meaningful. If employees are engaged in seemingly insignificant tasks, their manager must either consider if those tasks are still critical to the process or they must clearly explain to the employee how their work supports positive results of a more strategic nature. Providing employees with a clear line of sight between their work and the larger initiatives of the organization is a solid method of engaging employees and retaining top talent.
Sales & Marketing Management Magazine
This article is brought to you by Sales & Marketing Management, the leading authority for executives in the sales and marketing field.
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