By Jane Brydges - Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

There is no overstating the importance of keeping good employees who make your business tick, especially when times are tough. Managers and owners can ill afford to divert the time and effort it takes to recruit and train replacements from the challenges of reduced cash flow, weak sales or sagging market share.

But while you may have plenty of reasons to be distracted, never lose sight of the fact that your people are your most important asset. Here are some suggestions on how to create a framework for retaining top talent in your business.

Leadership

Demonstrating strong leadership instils confidence in your team and bolsters morale. This builds loyalty and drives the productivity and performance you business needs to survive and thrive.

But what are the traits of good leadership?

Good leaders have, and can communicate, a clear and compelling vision of the future that inspires people. They maintain their focus on the Big Picture regardless of the immediate challenges the organization may be facing. Vision plays a key role in supporting employees as the organization endures tough times. Creating a strong vision will help employees focus their efforts and understand how they contribute to a common goal.

Good leaders:

• Have courage and will acknowledge fear and the risks of the unknown.
• Maintain a positive vision of the future that motivates and inspires without ignoring the challenges of the present. Don’t dump any negativity or anxiety you may feel on staff. It’s caustic to the entire organization.
• Have passion.
• Are disciplined.
• Demonstrate commitment and establish priorities for both the business and the individuals involved.
• Engender trust through open communication and by encouraging feedback from staff.
• Are active listeners

Focus on people

People need to understand and know just how important they are:

• Listen to your staff.
• Solicit and value their feedback.
• Invest in programs that your people value. This could be as simple as a suggestion box for new ideas, to providing flexible work schedules and on-site day-care options.
• Be receptive of new ideas and creative solutions and provide incentives or rewards for ideas that do provide tangible benefits to the organization. Make staff feel that they are making a valued contribution.
• Take time to invest in developing your people – consider a mentorship program.
• Enable cross training and development –encourage people to share at “lunch and learns.”
• Find out what your staff like about the organization and why they stay. Often, why they joined your business is different from the reasons why they stay.
• Create an opportunity for your employees to re-engage or participate in change – a special project, a special role or responsibility can boost morale and interest.
• Team building – have some fun through activities that break the routine and change the scenery. It may be time for a field trip.

Provide options, build a community

Managers can consider any number of options to boost employee loyalty and ease the challenges of balancing work and family without putting undo stress on the organization:

• Offer flexible work hours – 7-3 or 8-4 or 9-5.
• Offer a compressed work week, such as working four 10-hour days and taking Monday or Friday off.
• Offer lieu time for vacation instead of paying overtime.
• Manage by Walking Around – make sure staff understand that you are there to help and WILL help if they need it.
• Have regular staff meetings; stay in touch with progress on projects and be able to pull resources to assist if required.
• Celebrate milestones, such as birthdays, anniversaries, end of projects – have a potluck every other Friday, or go as a team for breakfast once a week.
• Have less formal staff meetings – talk one-on-one with your staff.
• Deal with performance issues as they arise. Other employees will see you taking action and their morale will be stronger if they know you are on top of problems.
• Be time sensitive but not time oriented. An employee will notice if you watch the clock. Allow them some flexibility in terms of how they manage their time, but make sure they know deadlines. Clearly explain how big their “sandbox” is and what is expected of them, then give them the freedom they need to complete the task.

Remember, people need to feel that they are making a valued contribution to remain engaged and deliver their best effort. They want to be inspired by an individual who warrants their respect and conveys a vision and direction for the organization that builds morale and a positive team environment. On the other hand, they need the flexibility to balance the demands of work and family to remain fresh and focused. Take the time to know your staff and understand what motivates each individual to stay and you will find yourself spending fewer weekends reviewing resumes.

Category: Expert Advice.
Industry: Retail, Technology, Services
Functional Area: Hr
Tags: employee engagement, Human resources, leadership, retention, work life balance, workforce management