First of all, take a look at how
you hire, identify and promote individuals into the management ranks. If your hiring and
promotion procedures don't include accurate assessment of
leadership motivation and potential, you might not have the
right people in place.
In the meantime, there are actions your current managers
can take to engage and motivate your workforce. Engaged
employees work harder, are committed to the organization and
are loyal, meaning they are less likely to walk out the
door.
While there is no one-size-fits-all approach that works for
everyone, there are several key factors that affect retention. At the top of that list is the
pivotal relationship between the manager and the employee.
Employees are much more likely to stay with an organization
when they work for a leader they trust and who supports them,
who gives them opportunities to grow and who recognizes their efforts.
Employees trust leaders who act with integrity and who take
the time to find out what matters most to them in the work
environment--and take action to provide it. Make sure your
managers are highly visible to employees, and not just when
there is a problem or when they need something. If they don't
know what an individual values most in the workplace, the
manager needs to quickly sit down with that person and
ask.
Employees need an opportunity to grow their knowledge and
skills and to experience new challenges. Limited opportunity
for growth is one of the most common reasons individuals leave
an organization. Hold your managers accountable for developing employees in ways that benefit
the individual, the work group and your organization.
Don't underestimate the power of recognition. Too many
managers invest little time and effort when it comes to
recognizing people's efforts and accomplishments. Even top
performers need to be recognized by their managers for the
value they add to the organization. Without that recognition,
they'll either quit performing at that level or, worse yet,
quit your organization.
When managers really "know" their employees and develop and
recognize them, they will be more engaged and less likely to
leave.
