Don’t Lose a Good Employee

With so much talk about disengaged workers and good people jumping ship, you’ll want to be sure your organization is paying attention to these issues.

Here are some of the biggest issues. If you can fix them, you can likely prevent an exodus.

Let the countdown begin!

11.No Work/Life Balance

Surveys on why good employees leave jobs often list work/life imbalance as a top reason. People have a life outside of the office. But some companies still have an attendance policy only a cloistered nun would approve: No one uses vacation time, and to avoid missing a day, people come to work sick enough to quarantine.

Whether they punch a clock, log in, buzz a key card or follow the honor system, good employees want to feel valued by results, not by the time they’re technically “present.”

That goes for remote time too. Just because people can be reached 24/7 doesn’t mean they should be.

10.Perks Based on a Buddy System

Companies often hire people who know other employees. If the production manager’s cousin would be a great addition to the sales team, why not give him a shot?

Just make sure all the perks aren’t based on who you know.

Good employees notice who reaps the benefits — promotions, bonuses, extra time off, etc. Special treatment reserved for family and friends can make employees feel like uninvited guests.

And they’ll be grabbing their coats faster than you can say, “Let’s call my brother-in-law.”

9.Outdated Performance Reviews

Managers hate them. Employees hate them. So why are you still using stale performance reviews?

They’re cumbersome. They never say anything new, They’re poor indicators of how an employee is really doing. Plus, they were drafted during the Roosevelt administration.

Don’t depress good employees with a soulless recitation of the same stuff year after year. They want to know what they’re doing right and where

they can improve. If you provide that, they won’t yearn for more rewarding feedback somewhere else.

8.A 'Nowhere to Go But Out' Policy

Smart employees know they have to put in time and deliver before expecting an upward move.

But when your career ladder turns into a stalled elevator, they might decide they can hit the higher floors elsewhere.

Some companies follow a “six-month rule,” requiring employees hold a job for at least six months before they can transfer or be promoted to another position. Roberta Chinsky Matuson, author of “The Magnetic Workplace,” says this might have worked decades ago, but not today.

If the company doesn’t encourage growth, diligent employees will seek a place with more open doors.

7.Pay Freeze is Still Frozen

Smart people know what they are worth. Pleading tough times is only going to go so far when denying raises.

Pay freezes should be explained clearly, and include some idea of when raises will be back, and how much.

Extended pay freezes will send employees looking for other opportunities.

6.Really Bogus Rules

Most rules are made for good reasons.

But nonsensical rules that are solely the whims of higher-ups will do more than make good employees bitter. They’ll make them wave goodbye.

“Employers who stick to Mad-Men-era policies will drive their best people away,” says Liz Ryan, CEO and founder of Human Workplace, and a former Fortune 500 HR senior vice-president.

Get rid of old-fashioned, soul-crushing policies like doctor notes for sick days, mandatory holiday party attendance and nickel-and-dime expense accounting.

If you trust your employees, then show them you do.

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Information provided by: HR Morning