Keys for Retaining Your Valuable Employees By Nanci Porter, President, Eastridge Infotech

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Keys for Retaining Your Valuable EmployeesBy
Nanci Porter, President, Eastridge Infotech

• Presentation to Help Desk Institute
• April 13, 2005

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Objectives

• Why/how the marketplace is changing
• Why employees really leave
• What are the revolutionary insights shared by all
  great managers?
• What are the 4 basic needs and motivations of
  people?
• What are the 12 questions you need to make sure
  your employees can answer?
• What can you do right now to retain your talent

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Potential turnover today greater than ever Why?

• More opportunities present
• Free agency
• Permanent white water

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Recent Harris Poll findings on employees in key
functional areas

• Only 37 said they have a clear understanding
  what their organization is trying to achieve and
  why
• Only 17 felt their organization fosters open
  communications that results in new and better
  ideas
• Only 1 in 5 was enthusiastic about their teams
  and organizations goals
• Only 15 felt their organization fully enables
  them to execute key goals

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• Only half were satisfied with the work they have
  accomplished at the end of the week
• Only 10 felt their organization holds people
  accountable for results
• Only 15 felt they worked in a high trust
  environment
• Only 13 have high-trust, highly cooperative
  working relationships with other groups or
  departments
• Only 20 fully trusted the organization they work
  for

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Why employees really leave

• People leave managers not companies!
• Perception that no one cares
• Low trust
• Lack of shared vision and values
• Misalignment (systems/process/structure)
• Disempowerment (lack of passion/connection)

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The four basic needs and motivations of people

• (Body) To Live To Survive
• (Heart) To Love Relationships
• (Mind) To Learn Growth and Development
• (Spirit) To Leave a Legacy Meaning and
  Contribution

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Whole Person in a Whole Job
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What if work was a refuge?

• Managers embrace the whole person body, mind,
  heart and spirit
• Companies stand by the universal principles of
  fair play, honesty, integrity and truth
• Supervisors/Managers guide by principle-based
  leadership

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People have choices
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What are the revolutionary insights shared by all
great managers ?

• They see people through the lens of their
  potential and their best actions
• They validate and value people based on talents
  and strengths
• They recognize people dont change that much
• They believe in them
• They help them discover and realize their own
  potential within them

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Here are 12 questions that employees should be
able to answer

• Do I know what is expected of me at work?
• Do I have the materials and equipment I need to
  do my work right?
• At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I
  do best everyday?
• In the last seven days, have I received
  recognition or praise for doing good work?

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• Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to
  care about me as a person?
• Is there someone at work who encourages my
  development?
• At work, do my opinions seem to count?
• Does the mission/purpose of my company make me
  feel my job is important?
• Are my co-workers committed to doing quality
  work?
• Do I have a best friend at work?
• In the last six months, has someone at work
  talked to me about my progress?
• This last year, have I had opportunities to learn
  and grow?

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How can we make a difference right now to keep
talented people?

• Pick good people
• Set clear expectations
• Recognize excellence and praise it
• Notice incremental improvements and celebrate
  them
• Show care for your people
• Focus on the total person body, mind, heart and
  soul.

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Reading List

• The 8th Habit - From Effectiveness to Greatness
• Covey, S (2004). New York, Free Press
• The One Thing You Need to Know About Managing,
  Great Leading and Sustained Individual Success
• Buckingham, M (2005). New York, Free Press
• First, Break All The Rules
• Buckingham, M and Coffman, C (1999). New York,
  Simon and Schuster