Tips to Motivate and Retain Employees
In their book The New Manager's Tool Kit, Don and Sheryl Grimme give tips on things a new manager needs to know "to hit the ground running." The book focuses on how to lead people, how to be effective and how to optimize the contributions of your employees, among other topics.
One part I found especially interesting was "Grimme's Top 10 Tips to Motivate and Retain Talented Employees." Read over these and think about them. If you are a manager, do you do these things for your employees? And if you are an employee, does your manager do these things for you? Don't be afraid to share your feedback!
1. Pay employees fairly and well; then get them to forget about money.
2. Treat each other and every employee with respect. Show that you care about each employee as a person, not just as a worker.
3. Praise accomplishments... and attempts.
4. Clearly communicate goals, responsibilities and expectations. Never criticize in public -- redirect in private.
5. Recognize performance appropriately and consistently.
6. Involve employees in plans and decisions, especially those that affect them. Solicit employees' ideas and opinions. Encourage initiative.
7. Create opportunities for employees to learn and grow. Link the goals of the organization with the goals of each individual in it.
8. Actively listen to employees' concerns--both work-related and personal.
9. Share information--promptly, openly and clearly. Tell the truth... with compassion.
10. Celebrate successes and milestones reached--both organizational and personal. Create an organizational culture that is open, trusting and fun.