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By Karen Schmidt
These are three points that leaders don't like hearing because they
mean extra work, disruption and expense. What they want instead is
to find the key to employee retention has become the holy grail for
many leaders. They will try just about anything to find a way to
keep good people.
Research tells us that they need to find a way to create strong ties
between the employee and the organisation so they feel "attached".
This will prevent the employee from leaving the moment something
goes wrong. By feeling part of something employees form a bond that
goes beyond the day to day tasks and issues.
When we think about plants in a garden, this bond is their root
system. A strong, deep root system is what keeps plants thriving
even in the face of the forces of nature. The roots that an
individual plant puts down also help to stabilise the soil, creating
a better growing environment for other plants too.
Now there is a significant difference between feeling attached and
feeling tied down. In plant terms, it is the difference between
strong roots and lots of staking. One is underground and the other
is on the surface. The same can be true with employees. In the past
employees used "golden handcuff" policies to keep good people. This
effectively meant a financial incentive that prevented someone from
leaving. If they did, they either missed out on a benefit or had to
pay back monies spent on them.
The thinking now is to use incentive programs that give people a
more positive motivation to stay. One idea that is gaining
popularity is CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) programs that
allow employees to give back to the community via participating in
activities organised by their employer.
Another idea that helps people to feel a sense of attachment or
ownership in their organisation is profit sharing. Traditionally
this has been the domain of only a limited number of organisations
who were large enough to offer this kind of incentive. Whilst it is
financial, it is also about feeling like you are truly part of the
business rather than just the hired help. However, I have recently
come across a new service that allows organisations of any size to
offer a form of profit sharing that doesn't create onerous legal
obligations.
Whatever method you choose, the important thing is that you are
creating an environment that has a positive incentive to stay rather
than a negative incentive to not leave. There is a difference
between the two motivations.
If you can help your employees to put down roots with the
organisation you will greatly improve their ability to deal with the
ups and downs of the workplace which means fewer surprise
resignations, lower turnover and the end of hard to fill vacancies.
About the author:
Karen Schmidt is a speaker, workshop leader and facilitator. Her
website is
www.letsgrow.com.au |
Strengthening
Your Employee's Roots