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Disclaimer: The
content of these articles is to be used as a general guide only.
Professional advice should be sought before taking any action relating to
the points discussed in these articles.
HOW TO
IMPROVE YOUR STAFF RETENTION
Staff turnover in many businesses is higher today than
it was 20 years ago. So what makes some staff stay and others
want to leave. It usually isn't what they are paid because
salary runs quite low in a list of factors that decide why an
employee enjoys or doesn't enjoy working for a particular business.
What employees want more than anything else today is the
opportunity to learn and use new skills. With the growth of
technology and the internet and the availability of new and upgraded
software there is the opportunity for businesses to develop their
staff like never before. Staff especially like to obtain new
knowledge which is portable so it can be used in several jobs and
not just in their current role.
Secondly, all staff but especially high performing employees
like to be recognised for a job well done. How they are
recognised is not so important. What they are really
interested in is just receiving feedback. If they don't get
feedback they think the company doesn't care.
Of course, there is a lot more to retaining staff than just
providing feedback and the opportunity to learn new skills.
One way to reduce staff turnover is to reduce the negative
influences on a staff member. In other words, as well as
trying to keep your staff happy, you should also try to stop them
becoming unhappy. One of the most common reasons employees
leave companies is conflict with other staff members, especially
their boss.
If you are the boss, you may want to adjust your management
style so that your staff not only enjoy working for the company but
also enjoy working for you. Sometimes, it is not possible to
please everyone but it is important to keep your high performing
employees happy. After all, the quality of your staff has an
enormous effect on the overall profitability of your business.
You certainly want your best staff members to be with you for a long
time.
This article is reprinted from
Rentons' Business Tips No. 8
© Copyright May 2000 ACS
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