How the Smart Small Business Keeps Its Best People

Let me tell you about a very wise company I work with:

At a time when many company’s conversations with employees can still be about surviving and doing more with less, this company is actively talking about the future – their future and how their employees are part of it. They have and share a vision of success, and a plan to get there. This doesn’t mean they are going through tough times – many still are. But their employees are more focused on the long view of work. Here is how they bring this about:

Daily Feedback

They create opportunities to provide recurring feedback about current performance; positive performance is applauded; poor performance is coached and corrected. Feedback is a daily event. This is a rapport builder and relationship builder between managers and employees.

Performance Expectations

They create performance expectations for employees; employees know what is expected and are held accountable for results and performance. They have a culture of accountability and no excuses.

Future Focus

They regularly meet with employees to talk about the future. The include employees’ talents, values, interests and career aspirations in their discussions; employees have a voice in their career direction. They are honest about opportunities, even if the right response for the employee is they have outgrown the organization or there are no roles that match what employees want and need for their career path. Employees know where they are headed; they are connected to both a vision and a plan for the future.

This works well because their managers are held responsible for building and sustaining relationships with their employees. This daily focus on personally connecting to employees creates a rapport that facilitates a discussion about many issues that other organizations can’t discuss – including career development and the future. This not only allows employees to have a longer vision of employment and direction, but it supports the organizations succession planning process.

Knowing the strength of your people and knowing where they are headed, allows the organization to plan for its growth and how to staff it. It allows them to better manage their human capital and talent.

At a time when most organizations are talking about today, this organization regularly talks about the future.  Most employees leave because their companies never have a meaningful discussion about why they should stay. Help employees be here today, and here tomorrow.

> More about employee training and retention on the Mindflash blog.

Performance consultant, speaker and workplace coach Jay Forte works with management, women’s organizations and individuals to maximize personal and professional performance. As president of Humanetrics, LLC, Forte provides talent-based hiring and management training to create high-productivity workplaces.

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