| Copyright (c) 2008 Gayla Hodges | | | | members are saying; but it could also reflect an |
| The way you treat people is one of the most | | | | unwillingness of senior management to make |
| important factors in your company's ability to | | | | those resources and opportunities available. |
| keep the talent you want and need to make your | | | | Leaders and managers each see the workplace |
| business successful. You as a manager, as a | | | | from a unique perspective. Executive leaders are |
| leader, may be one of the most important talent | | | | looking at the biggest overall picture from the |
| retention tools your company has. And remember | | | | organizational level and with an eye to external |
| the key to retention success: People don't leave | | | | impacts. Middle-level managers are looking at the |
| corporations, they leave bosses. | | | | bigger picture from an operational standpoint. |
| There has been a lot of discussion and study in | | | | Front line managers view the workplace from the |
| recent years about why people leave jobs. | | | | actual functional, nuts and bolts operational point |
| According to the U.S. Department of Labor and | | | | of view. This means it is the front-line manager |
| the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of | | | | who is in the best position to evaluate what |
| people who quit jobs (instead of being fired, laid | | | | employees need in order to do their jobs |
| off or downsized) accounts for 42-63% of all | | | | proficiently. They must then effectively |
| people who leave jobs in a given year. This | | | | communicate those needs up the ladder to |
| represents a lot of talent leaving corporations. | | | | ensure that all reasonable needs are met. |
| Some leaders are content to glance over an | | | | The front line manager also must be the person |
| internal exit interview and conclude that the | | | | who knows each employee well enough to |
| valued talent is walking out the door because | | | | understand the working environment in which the |
| other companies are offering better salaries or | | | | employee can succeed. Leadership skills become |
| benefits packages or because someone else | | | | critical in working between employees and upper |
| offered them a chance to advance or do | | | | management to create the environment needed |
| something different. | | | | for success. This might mean managing resources, |
| External exit interviews and independent research | | | | it might mean working with flexible scheduling, but |
| tell a different story. Corporations that want to | | | | it is almost certain to mean treating employees |
| be successful in leading in retaining talent are | | | | with the appropriate respect and providing clear |
| listening carefully to these findings. A recent study | | | | communication of tasks, roles, expectations and |
| by the Gallup organization found that "at least | | | | assignments. It also almost certainly includes |
| 75% of the reasons for voluntary turnover can | | | | providing appropriate growth and advancement |
| be influenced by managers."* | | | | opportunities and coaching for each employee. |
| Based on information gathered over a thirty year | | | | Effective leadership from any management |
| period, the Gallup organization reported the | | | | perspective also requires leaders and managers to |
| following reasons for leaving: | | | | understand who their employees are and how |
| 1. Career advancement or opportunities for | | | | they function at their natural best, as well as what |
| promotion (31.5%) | | | | is important to them. |
| 2. Pay and Benefits (22.4%) | | | | People with a high take-charge characteristic tend |
| 3. Poor job fit (20.2%) | | | | to assume people understand where they are |
| 4. Management or the general work environment | | | | going. When their communication is ineffective or |
| (16.5%) | | | | inadequate, employees become frustrated |
| 5. Flexibility or scheduling (7.7%) | | | | because the targets are unclear. In time, this can |
| 6. Job security (1.7%)* | | | | create a lack of respect for the leader or worse, |
| Since leaders have a direct impact on the | | | | a perception that the leader doesn't value the |
| majority of these areas, it becomes apparent | | | | employee for the contribution s/he is making. |
| that your leadership can make or break any | | | | People who demonstrate a "high allegiance |
| retention program you devise. | | | | characteristic" approach tasks from the leader > |
| In another study by the Saratoga Institute, the | | | | process > procedure paradigm. They look to the |
| following reasons for talent loss (based on almost | | | | leader to provide clear direction about the process |
| 20,000 interviews) were given: | | | | and the procedure, as well as the goal. People |
| 1. Job or workplace was not as expected | | | | motivated in this way, especially if they are more |
| 2. Mismatch between job and person | | | | collaborative and supportive in terms of the way |
| 3. Too little coaching and feedback | | | | they take charge, must be able to respect the |
| 4. Too few growth and advancement | | | | leader. That respect hinges upon the ability of the |
| opportunities | | | | manager to communicate to each employee that |
| 5. Feeling devalued and unrecognized | | | | the employee is valued and valuable in reality and |
| 6. Stress from overwork and work-life imbalance | | | | not just by giving lip service to the idea. Clear |
| 7. Loss of trust and confidence in senior leaders.** | | | | goals and direction must also be provided |
| Again, leadership can and should have significant | | | | consistently. It is also the line manager's role to |
| impact on all of these areas. | | | | communicate to employees a clear and consistent |
| My personal experience is that many people leave | | | | understanding of corporate goals, strategies and |
| jobs because of the way they perceive the | | | | direction. It is in this last role that the manager |
| working environment and their opportunities to do | | | | has the opportunity to build team cohesion and |
| what they love to do in a way that allows them | | | | respect, as well as employee buy-in on corporate |
| to be effective, efficient and successful. In fact, in | | | | goals and respect for senior corporate leaders. |
| many cases when people leave a job because of | | | | If employees are engaged in the corporate and |
| a mismatch with the job, the mismatch is | | | | team goals and strategies and they feel valued |
| perceived rather than actual. This perception | | | | and respected for doing their jobs well, they are |
| points to either a poor hiring decision or a failure | | | | less likely to leave. Leaders at every level of the |
| of management to provide people with the tools | | | | corporation must consistently communicate to |
| and the opportunities they need to do the job. | | | | employees the goals, the reasons for the goals, |
| Often people point to the immediate supervisor | | | | the strategies in place to achieve the goals, and |
| (boss) as the reason for leaving a job. This might | | | | the valuable contribution of each employee to |
| be because the supervisor is not able to | | | | implementing the strategies successfully. |
| adequately communicate expectations or goals. It | | | | *Turning Around Employee Turnover: Costly |
| might be due to the supervisor's management | | | | churn can be reduced if managers know what to |
| style. It is often because the individual believes the | | | | look for - and they usually don't, " by Jennifer |
| manager is not providing the equipment, materials, | | | | Robison. |
| resources or opportunity to perform the job | | | | **Dealing with the Real Reasons People Leave, by |
| adequately. This may point to the failure of the | | | | Judith A. Ross, Harvard Business Publishing. Article |
| immediate supervisor to hear what their team | | | | Reprint No. U0508A. |