Advancement Seen As Best Way To Keep Workers
Want To Hold On To Your Employees?
By Kevin Smith© Pasadena Star-News, Saturday, March 27, 2004
You can start by ensuring that your company offers advancement opportunities for workers who want to move up the ladder to higher-paying salaries and more career-oriented positions.
That is the assessment of a new survey by Robert Half International Inc., the world's largest staffing service specializing in accounting, finance and information technology.
Thirty-nine percent of executives surveyed said employees are most likely to quit their jobs because of a lack of advancement opportunities.
Unhappiness with management ranked second at 23 percent, followed by lack of recognition (17 percent), inadequate salary and benefits (11 percent), bored with the job (6 percent), a lifestyle change, such as moving (2 percent) and other reasons/do not know (2 percent), the survey said.
"Helping top performers reach their professional goals is essential to retaining them,' said Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International and author of "Motivating Employees For Dummies. "The best employees are ambitious and may not stay in a position long if it lacks growth potential.'
Gary Kaplan, president of Gary Kaplan & Associates, a national executive search firm based in Pasadena, agreed.
"I think there will be more focus on this now that the labor market is loosening up,' he said. "There is the potential for a tremendous migration of employees.'
During the past year, the job market has been extremely tight with few companies willing to hire. But with the economy gaining momentum, that has begun to change, Kaplan said.
"For the most part, employees have been very resistant to jump ship,' he said. "But now there will be a lot of mobility - and companies are looking at what they can do to hold on to their best and brightest.'
Recent statistics from the California Employment Development Department indicate that hiring is picking up. Last month, Los Angeles County's unemployment rate dropped to 6.1 percent, down from a seasonally adjusted 6.4 percent in January and 6.8 percent a year earlier.
The improvement was attributed to the creation of 21,400 new jobs countywide.
California's jobless rate held steady last month at 6.2 percent, although it was considerably lower than the 6.8-percent rate in February 2003, figures show.
Kaplan said he has seen a significant increase in hiring at the executive level.
"We were up 133 percent during the four months from November through February,' he said. "Activity has increased at the upper levels of senior management.'
VACCO Industries Inc, a South El Monte company that manufactures precision components for commercial, defense and aerospace use, works hard to retain its ambitious employees, said Jim Cumbie, director of human resources.
"We have an educational assistance program where we help finance their tuition and books if that's what's needed to help them advance in their careers,' he said. "That improves their skill levels and it improves what they have to offer us.'
VACCO - which employs more than 200 workers - also has a succession planning program. The program identifies and trains workers for key positions within the company so they can step in and assume those roles in the event the slots come open when someone else leaves or takes another job, Cumbie said.
"That way we've got the next person ready to go,' he explained. "We also allow employees to sometimes step across the boundaries of their (regular) job description and do other jobs when those employees are on vacation. That way, they get some training. And if a position opens up they can step in.'
The Robert Half International survey offers the following tips to help managers retain valued staff members:
n Gauge perceptions. Are your employees happy with their roles and with management? Gather individual feedback on the work environment and the types of changes that might enhance job satisfaction.
n Reward extra effort. Individuals who frequently accept added responsibility or an increased workload should be rewarded. If budgets are tight, consider alternatives such as a larger office or a more flexible schedule.
n Give kudos. Praise does not have to be costly or time consuming, but it should be frequent and personalized. A sincere thank-you note and recognition during a staff meeting for a job well done are inexpensive yet effective motivators.
n Avoid staff burnout. They most capable employees tend to have the most on their plate - and they are the least likely to speak up when the workload is too heavy. If hiring more staff is not an option, bring in temporary help during peak times.
