Management experts agree that a satisfied employee is a happy employee. The quality of the supervision an employee receives is critical to employee retention. People leave managers and supervisors rather than leaving companies or jobs. The immediate supervisor has a critical role to play in employee retention. Anything the supervisor does to make an employee feel unvalued or unwanted will contribute to people leaving. Frequent exiting employee complaints center on the following areas:
Lack of clarity about expectations - It is either too high or too low. It is revised often, giving an impression of shifting the 'goal posts'.
Lack of clarity about earning potential - The oft quoted saying is 'sky is the limit' but very few organizations can indicate what a good employee can earn over a two or three year period. Career planning along with reasonable indication of earning potential is necessary. It is better to under commit but over deliver.
Failure to provide a framework within which the employee perceives he can succeed.
The ability of the employee to speak his or her mind freely within the organization is a key factor in employee retention. The organizational culture must provide an environment for feedback, even if it is critical or unpalatable.
Talent and skill utilization is another environmental factor the key employees will seek at workplace. A motivated employee wants to contribute in work areas outside of his or her specific job description. Unfortunately, in most organizations, outside talent will be brought in, when internal talent is available.
In some organizations, talented employees will be used but not rewarded. When it comes to rewards, some shortfall will be highlighted. The contributing areas will be underplayed. Many managers become Scroogish at the time of rewarding employees.
The perception of fairness and equitable treatment is important in employee retention. Favoritism and Nepotism are more prevalent than we think. Key positions are manned by the so called loyal people but they may not be competent. Such people become power centers, play politics and will make good people leave. Talented and skilled people will not work under such circumstances and will leave.
Many employers do not provide the right tools and make employees fail. In such cases the employees will leave to join organizations where the right tools are provided.
Good employees want to learn and grow. They will seek new growth opportunities. In the absence of such opportunities they will leave.
One of the most common complaints made in exit interviews by the exiting employees is that their bosses never knew their existence.
Staff members must feel rewarded, recognized and appreciated.
Lastly, providing training and development opportunities for both horizontal and vertical growth.
Many organizations offer a raise or try to persuade employees to stay back after they put in their papers. Organizations like GE and individuals like Dr. Jack Welch are very rare.
© Copyright, Oct 03-08 . Without prejudice. All rights reserved
Employee Retention - To learn more about this author, visit Madhavan T Gopalachary's Website.
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Madhavan T Gopalachary
(Visit Madhavan's Website)
Madhavan Gopalachary, nick name "madgopes"
(g pronounced as in go) given by IIT
classmates, is a Mechanical Engineer and
an alumnus of Indian Institute of
Technology, Madras having passed out
specializing in IC Engines &
Thermodynamics.
He has nearly 35 years of experience in
the Corporate World. He started off as a
trainee and handled sales, marketing,
manufacturing, product management, profit
center management, strategic planning and
corporate development including R & D in
various organizations and at various
levels before becoming a CEO. His last two
professional assignments were at CEO level
before embarking to start management
consultancy business on January 01, 1998.
He has worked for British, Swedish MNCs as
well as very large Indian business houses.
He has spent a large portion of his time
from June 1998 till date in East African
Countries practicing as an independent
Management Consultant.
More details can be obtained at the
following web sites:
mmg.name
/mtg.html;
mmgconsu
lting.biz/
Madhavan's articles can be accessed at www.madgopes.com
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