| "We have met the enemy and it is us". Wow, that is | | | | see themselves as an integral part of the " knowledge |
| like a cold shower. | | | | economy". The "doing mundane tasks" so you learn |
| Retaining employees - an employers only asset, is | | | | the business and as part of your learning curve leads |
| critical to every organizations success and its very | | | | to dissatisfaction, low morale and resignations. |
| existence. Professional organizations such as the | | | | Managers who don't walk the walk. Today's |
| Society for Human Resource Development provide | | | | employees do not have a great deal of faith in the |
| data on an annual basis regarding employee retention | | | | commitment of employers to remain in business: to |
| (or the flip side- employee turnover). The results vary | | | | share the profits, or for managers to be transparent |
| from year to year as employees cite such factors as | | | | and honest. When employees see themselves as |
| pay, safety, security, benefits as reasons why they | | | | chattel: as being managed in a way where they see |
| move from one employer to another. | | | | their total function is to raise company profits, at the |
| One of the major, consistent reasons for employees | | | | expense of their work/life needs, they will pack up their |
| turning their backs is " the boss". | | | | bags and leave. |
| In my experience over the past 15 years or so, rarely, | | | | The question: do your employees have a feeling that |
| with a few notable exceptions, do employers | | | | they are working in a " job shop"? What we described |
| acknowledge that voluntary terminations were the | | | | above is played out by the style of management |
| result of boss- employee relations. | | | | which goes along with "my way of the highway |
| Why the disconnect? With so much emphasis on | | | | philosophy. No, this management style does not have |
| internal communications, leadership training, job fit, etc. | | | | to be particularly harsh, or confrontation. It is reflected in |
| why this disparity? | | | | the way employees are treated: mutual respect and |
| So employees become disenchanted and resign... | | | | mutual need. Exit interviews with resigning employees |
| There are a myriad of reasons so let's list a few: | | | | often times elicit the following from terminating |
| Expectations of commitment: Companies hire for | | | | employees -" I just didn't feel like they cared about me |
| the "long term" and design employee development, | | | | or my future". |
| advancement, and challenges around that paradigm. | | | | A 1st step - take a preemptive, anonymous employee |
| Employees now want immediate challenges, training, | | | | attitude survey directed towards what employees feel |
| and responsibility. They see each job as a stepping | | | | is important, how they evaluated management, and |
| stone. Not as a buy in to the company history and | | | | what they see as the companies commitment to their |
| culture. | | | | future. ONLY take this step if you are willing to share |
| Employers believe in tenure as a prerequisite for a | | | | the results with employees and are willing to take |
| place at the decision making table. In today's rapidly | | | | positive action. |
| changing technological revolution, today's employees | | | | |