The background behind the need for a focussed staff retention plan.

1. Author: John Shenton
Source: http://www.biassoc.co.uk
STAFF RETENTION
Coming out of recession one might think that
staff would be pleased they still have a job.
Can you really expect your key You don’t need to look far to prove this is not
members of staff to stay loyal? always the case.
The psychology of loyalty is related to an What can a business do under these
individuals feeling of value, both to circumstances to ensure that those who
themselves and to the organisation they work remain and who provide the business with
for. experience and knowledge do not decide to
leave for greener pastures?
All of us need to feel we can offer something
of ourselves to others in return for whatever it Communication will be at the centre of
is that motivates us. this challenge.
Motivation is a moving target. This is often Here are ten key questions you may like to
misunderstood by business. If your company consider…
is looking to enhance business performance by
increasing motivation within the workforce, 1. If you know who your key players
then taking a simplistic view that money are, what do you have planned for
motivates all could be costing you a small their future?
fortune with very little return on your
investment. 2. Is this plan aligned with their
motivational needs today and their
The fact remains that an individual cannot be aspirations for tomorrow?
motivated by others, they can only motivate
themselves. This means that if you want to 3. Remembering that motivational
put in place a motivational program for your needs can change on a sixpence,
staff, the only thing that will really work is for what plans do you have in place that
you to put in place a working will monitor changes in the
environment that makes it easier for motivational needs of
people to be motivated. individuals.
The environment includes the 4. What plans does your business
workplace itself. Dismal offices full of have for future growth and
constant noise are not likely to make how will these be translated
people feel at ease. into potential working benefits
for the staff.
Managers who demand and cajole,
telling others what to do without supporting 5. Are all of your managers aligned with
employees to be able to do things better, are your business strategy and do they
not going to make people want to get up early understand your business values.
in the morning or stay late to help out.
6. Are you able to involve your staff in
A business that keeps employees in the dark your plans for the future? Your
for eighty percent of the time and then only success will in part be down to their
passes down negative judgements can hardly success and it is quite likely they will
be expected to win them back with a day at know more about the effectiveness of
the races for a select few. your business processes than you do.
Using assessment tools it is possible to create 7. If your business strategy has
a discussion that allows individuals to let us changed significantly, have you
know what their motivational factors are in relooked the job roles that key
order of preference. members of staff need to play?
Some of these we, as managers, may not be 8. Do all of the key players have the
able to fulfill, but others will give us an skills they will need for the future of
indication of what kind of work environment your business?
will keep them loyal if we can meet these
needs. 9. Your business is made up of teams of
people in different departments. Are
Recent HR studies suggest that the recession the teams designed for success?
has caused staff to question their loyalties to Understanding the value of well
an organisation. This is understandable where designed teams makes the work
a business has been forced to cut back on environment a happier place.
everything and anything that has not been
proven to add money to the bottom line. 10. Have you considered that your clients
are a good source of information
Whilst management have been forced to take about how your business is
the tough decisions in order to keep the performing? Happy clients can make
business afloat, the staff have been left to your staff feel good about
work in the dark and pick up the workload of themselves.
those who have left.
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© John Shenton. BIA. March 2010