Getting good employees and keeping them

Posted: July 17, 2015 | Categories: Leadership, Team Building

There is an old saying about keeping a secret:  “Secrets are either too good to keep or not worth keeping”.  I am finding the same is true when it comes to getting and keeping good employees.  There are either too good to keep or not worth keeping.

As an executive coach, I spend my time helping companies build winning, profitable teams.  The most fun part of what I do is working with great people.  They respect each other, know how to communicate and take ownership of their responsibilities without making excuses or pointing fingers.  Unfortunately, these traits are not in the majority of companies.  If they were, companies that hired good people would keep them.  A “rock star” is not going to stay very long at a place that doesn’t get the basics of leadership.

I heard a story today about a situation that made me sad:  A company had just lost a promising new employee due to serious judgmental error.  Let’s call her Jill.  Jill began work about three weeks ago with a blaze or enthusiasm.  She immediately had a positive impact on the whole team.  She got right to her job, and was a quick learner.  She kept rolling, and continued to mention how much she loved the place and her work.  Then, two days ago, she made mistake.  It had to do with a technology issue, and she had not been properly trained.  Rather than being understanding, her immediate supervisor took her to task, and those that could hear the conversation cringed.  Afterwards, she was in tears, and said, “He treated me like a baby”.  When she got home and relayed the story to her husband, he made her quit and said, “I won’t let you be treated like that”.  She and all the enthusiasm she had disappeared.

I wish this was the only story like this I hear.  It is not.  We know turnover is incredibly expensive.  Rather than riding roughshod over people, doesn’t it make sense to build trust?  Here are some suggestions if you want to get and keep good people:

1. Show a genuine interest in them.  Find out about their kids, what games they play, and how old they are.  Ask them about their hobbies and travel.  Discover their strengths.
2. Clearly communicate their responsibilities
3. Quantify your expectations and get their agreement and commitment.
4. Stay in there with them, always reinforcing and re-directing as they work to become proficient in their job.

With delicate sensitivity, walk side by side with them. Care.  Remember:  People are like teeth:  Ignore them, and they will go away!