Today's labor force is different. Supervisors must take responsibility for their own employee retention.

If they don't, they could be left without enough good employees. A wise employer will learn how to attract and keep good employees, because in the long run, this workforce will make or break a company's reputation. What's Different? New supervisors must be prepared to be collaborative, supportive, and nurturing of their people. The old style of "my-way-or-the-highway" style of management is a thing of the past. Most new supervisors need training to understand what it really takes to retain employees. Employee retention involves being sensitive to people's needs and demonstrating the various strategies in the five families detailed in Roger Herman's classic book on employee retention, Keeping Good People. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Environmental Relationship Support Growth Compensation

Employee retention takes effort, energy, and resources...and the results are worth it. Employee retention is a process in which the employees are encouraged to remain with the organization for the maximum period of time or until the completion of the defined project. Employee retention is beneficial for the organization as well as the employee. Employees today are different. They are not the ones who dont have good opportunities in hand. As soon as they feel dissatisfied with the current employer or the job, they switch over to the next job. It is the responsibility of the employer to retain their best employees. If they dont, they would be left with no good employees. A good employer should know how to attract and retain its employees. Retention involves compensation, Environment, Growth, support, relation. After taking exit-interviews and analyzing the trend I can able to find out following reasons of movement. No growth opportunity or no promotion. For Salary hike For Higher education Misguidance by the company Policies and procedures are not conducive No personal life and Physical strains

Not comfortable in the process System is not adoptable Now a days it is very hard to retain the trained staff, but, as a HR Professional we have to do up to our level best. We can do lot many things to retain the employees are as follow: Hire the right person for the right job Give liberty to employees to get the things done Make employees realize that they are the most valuable asset of the organization Trust them and give them respect Provide timely training and information Keep providing them feedback on their performance Appreciate their achievements Help to increase morale of the employees Celebrate the movements and make a group as a family Create an environment where the employees love to work

As the competition in the market heats up, the acquisition of skills, talents and knowledge becomes a difficult job for the organization. The company feels in pressure when in every management meeting managers come and repeat this excuse for poor performance, then the pain comes out " stop the turnover". Many of the companies are facing problems in retaining employees. Where recently a survey shows that employee turnover can cost an organization almost 4- 5 times more than an annual employee salary. A study conducted by some B- schools researched that 80% of employee turnover is attributable to blunders committed during the recruitment process. Being an HR professional we need to understand employee turnover is not a disease but it is a symptom of the disease. Employee Retention is a process in which the employees are encouraged to be with the organization for the maximum time or as of now, until the project gets completed. Though, employee employer relationship has undergone a fundamental change, which has implications on the attrition, motivation and retention of talented employees.

Employee

retention

is

beneficial

for

both the

organization

and

employee.

In this era of globalization employees are blessed with good opportunities. As soon as they feel dissatisfied with the current employer or with the job they switch over. It is becoming hard on the employer to retain employees, as the organization would not be left with good employees. Being HR personnel one should know how to attract and retain its employees. A company, which wants to strengthen its bond with its employees, needs to invest in their developments. This involves the creation of opportunities for role enhancement within the company as well as training & skill development that allow employees to enhance their employability in the internal/external employable market. Employees should be trained and given a chance to improve & enhance their skills. This helps them to perform better and also boosts their self- esteem and commitment towards work. Employee retention involves five major things: Compensation Environment Growth Relationships Support If an organization is able to focus on all these areas, it can retain employees. Taking employee retention very seriously companies/ HR personnel have come up with various retention schemes like " Bell Curve method" which means to provide good benefits and incentives to employees those who fall within "critical People" to the organization. Few of them are as under: Retention Bonus Employee Reward program Career Development program Performance based bonus Employee referral plans According to me, the areas, which affect the retention of employees, are different and vary according to people, for example for me work-environment can be a factor to continue with the company and for someone else compensation can be a factor for

discontinuation with the company. As being HR personnels we need to understand our employees so that we can provide them with satisfaction. In order to retain employees who fall under "critical people" to the organization, HR can prepare a list of factors, which can affect their retention and can work on them. Once completed successfully on critical people this exercise can be implemented on rest of the employees as well. It is not about managing retention, it is about managing people. The glue is quality work, responsibilities, recognition, respect, growth, opportunities, compensation, support and friendly supervision. If an organization manages its people well, employee retention will be taken well care of. Organization should force on managing the work environment to make better use of their human assets. Despite economic changes, the issue of employee retention is here to stay. The labor shortage that plagued employers at the height of the economic boom has not vanished. It may be off the radar now, but it is returning strong as ever. Successful organizations realize employee retention is integral to sustaining their leadership and growth in the marketplace. Most businesses focus on employee retention when employee turnover starts to increase. However, good organizations make employee retention a core element of their talent management and organizational development strategy. Those that fail to make employee retention a priority are at risk of losing their top talented people to the competition. Our employee retention strategy is easy to implement and provides you the six steps you need to adopt in establishing an effective retention strategy 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Assess the organization. Hold people accountable. Measure what is important. Increase employee ownership and involvement. Build relationships and create a positive first impression. Devise intervention strategies.

This report includes proven and practical information on these critical topics:

The Retention Czar Who should be held accountable Two types of assessments to pinpoint problems How to look for and accommodate life changes that lead to turnover Company policies that affect retention

What you should measure and monitor What a good employee orientation program should look like How to design an Individual Retention Profile (IRP) Includes a detailed employee orientation task list What to do when an employee says they are leaving Case studies How to design a retention implementation team How to hire for retention

Effective employee retention strategies, key to reduce attrition in BPO firms Intelligent employers always realise the importance of retaining the best talent. Retaining talent has never been so important in the Indian scenario; however, things have changed in recent years. In prominent Indian metros at least, there is no dearth of opportunities for the best in the business, or even for the second or the third best. Retention of key employees and treating attrition troubles has never been so important to companies. In an intensely competitive environment, where HR managers are poaching from each other, organisations can either hold on to their employees tight or lose them to competition. For gone are the days, when employees would stick to an employer for years for want of a better choice. Now, opportunities abound. It is a fact that, retention of key employees is critical to the long-term health and success of any organisation. The performance of employees is often linked directly to quality work, customer satisfaction, increased product sales and even to the image of a company. Whereas the same is often indirectly linked to, satisfied colleagues and reporting staff, effective succession planning and deeply embedded organisational knowledge and learning. Employee retention matters, as, organisational issues such as training time and investment, costly candidate search etc., are involved. Hence, failing to retain a key employee is a costly proposition for any organisation. Various estimates suggest that losing a middle manager in most organisations, translates to a loss of up to five times his salary. This might be worse for BPO companies where fresh talent is intensively trained and inducted and then further groomed to the successive stages. In this scenario, the loss of a middle manager can often prove dear. Why people leave In an industry like BPO, the work can often be monotonous and opportunities for career growth minimal. So when opportunities beckon, the high rate of attrition is not surprising. However, there are some common reasons that especially cause people to leave. Surveys have listed night shifts, money, inability to handle various types of stress, monotonous work; company policies, lack of career growth, problems with those in senior positions etc., as some of the most common reasons listed by BPO employees, as reasons for quitting jobs. Finding the cause

Have a survey among employees to find the reasons for attrition. If possible, have exit interviews to know the reasons for resignations. If a key employee resigns, it should be taken up on a priority basis and the senior management should meet the employee to discuss his reasons for leaving and evaluate whether his issues bear merit and whether they can be resolved. Steps can be taken to avoid similar reasons from occurring in the case of others, in similar positions. What can be done? Though, it is impossible to scrap problems totally, there are certain ways by which BPO managements can tackle attrition. Since the BPO environment is unique, these companies need to develop innovative ways to tackle them. Human Resources department of a BPO must address these issues, and along with the management need to evolve strategies to retain employees at all levels. At the time of Recruitment Select the right people through competency screening. Use psychometric tests to get people who can work at night and handle the monotony. Offer an attractive, competitive, benefits package. Make clear of performance enhanced incentives and other benefits. Keep these promises, later. BPOs can set up offices in smaller towns, or recruit from there, where opportunities are few. At the office

An employees work must be communicated to him clearly and thoroughly. The details of the job, its importance, the way it should be done, maximum time that can be allotted to complete it etc., must be made clear. If there are changes to any of these, let the employee know at the earliest Give the employees necessary tools, time and training. The employee must have the tools, time and training necessary to do their job well - or they will move to an employer who provides them. Have a person to talk to each employee at regular intervals. Listen and solve employee complaints and problems, as much as possible. Fairness and impartial treatment by seniors is important. Help employees manage stress, both at work and if possible, off work too. Give them special concessions, when in need. Treat the employees well & provide dignity of job. The quality of the supervision an employee receives is critical to employee retention. Frequent employee complaints arise on this issue. Provide the employees a stress free work environment. People want to enjoy their work. Make work and work place cheerful and fun-filled as possible. Make sure that employees know that their work is important for the organisation. Feeling valued by their employer is key to high employee motivation and morale. Recognize their strengths and help them to improve those they lack.

Employees must feel rewarded, recognised and appreciated. Giving periodical raise in salary or position helps to retain staff. Offer excellent career growth prospects. Encourage & groom employees to take up higher positions/openings. If they dont get opportunity for growth within the organisation, they will look elsewhere for it. Work-life balance initiatives are important. Innovative and practical employee policies pertaining to flexible working hours and schemes, granting compassionate and urgency leave, providing healthcare for self, family and dependants, etc. are important for most people. Work-life balance policies would have a positive impact on retaining skilled employees, as well as on attracting high-calibre recruits. Implement competency models, which are well integrated, with HR processes like selection & recruitments, training, performance appraisal and potential appraisal. Night shifts 1. Have doctors to advise them about health problems and the ways and means to deal with them. Provide dietary advice: - Dos and donts. Help them to maintain their health. 2. Organise programmes where people from other professions, who have night shifts talk to BPO employees about their experiences. Other organisations like Army, Railways, Hospitals and various government services etc., also have night shifts. 3. Organise training, counselling and development programmes for employees. Tell them that their work is important. Encourage the best performers to share their experiences with others and guide others. The emphasis is to create the desire to learn, enjoy and be passionate about the work they do. 4. If needed, provide special lights in the office/workplace to ensure that their bodies get sufficient vitamin D. 5. One distinct disadvantage of night shifts is the sense of disorientation with friends and family members. Concentrate on this problem and develop innovative solutions and ways to deal with it. Additional holidays for work on national holidays and festivals, holidays for family functions etc., can go a long way. Conclusion As they say, happiness can be contagious. So make sure the work place is a happy one, which every employee would love to spend time. Human resources department along with senior management must take steps to make sure of this. Effective human resource management must be practiced at both strategic and day-to-day levels. HR management practices must reflect company policy as to how it will manage and relate to its employees. The HR strategy should evolve from a transactional support role to partnering in the organisations business strategy. HR must take steps to be aware of employee problems and try to solve them, creatively.

Retention Strategies in ITES-BPO Industry

HR professionals all over the world, working is Call-Centre or Contact Centre or BPO industry are breaking their heads to formulate Retention Strategies but nothing is working in their favour. The average attrition rate in this sector is still 35-40%. No perks, no rewardsjust nothing is working. Before proceeding further, lets see why people are leaving? Why there is high attrition rate. Why people are moving?

When there are so many benefits associated with BPO industry. when there are so many privileges for the BPO employees than what makes them to change the company/industry?? Is it only MONEY that matters or anything else as well?? After taking exit-interviews and analyzing the trend I am able to list out following reasons for a BPO professional to change his/her job.

No growth opportunity/lack of promotion For higher Salary For Higher education Misguidance by the company Policies and procedures are not conducive No personal life Physical strains Uneasy relationship with peers or managers

Lets also see as what are the various benefitsthat have been extended to people working in this sector. Employee Benefits Provided By Majority Of the BPO Companies A part from the legal and mandatory benefits such as provident-fund and gratuity, below is a list of other benefitsBPO professionals are entitled to the following: 1. Group Medi-claim Insurance Scheme: This insurance scheme is to provide adequate insurance coverage of employees for expenses related to hospitalization due to illness, disease or injury or pregnancy in case of female employees or spouse of male employees. All employees and their dependent family members are eligible. Dependent family members include spouse, non-earning parents and children above three months 2. Personal Accident Insurance Scheme: This scheme is to provide adequate insurance coverage for Hospitalization expenses arising out of injuries sustained in an accident. This covers total / partial disablement / death due to accident and due to accidents. 3. Subsidized Food and Transportation: The organizations provide transportation facility to all the employees from home till office at subsidized rates. The lunch provided is also subsidized. 4. Company Leased Accommodation: Some of the companies provides shared accommodation for all the out station employees, in fact some of the BPO companies

also undertakes to pay electricity/water bills as well as the Society charges for the shared accommodation. The purpose is to provide to the employees to lead a more comfortable work life balance. 5. Recreation, Cafeteria, ATM and Concierge facilities: The recreation facilities include pool tables, chess tables and coffee bars. Companies also have well equipped gyms, personal trainers and showers at facilities. 6. Corporate Credit Card: The main purpose of the corporate credit card is enable the timely and efficient payment of official expenses which the employees undertake for purposes such as travel related expenses like Hotel bills, Air tickets etc 7. Cellular Phone / Laptop: Cellular phone and / or Laptop are provided to the employees on the basis of business need. The employee is responsible for the maintenance and safeguarding of the asset. 8. Personal Health Care (Regular medical check-ups): Some of the BPO'S provides the facility for extensive health check-up. For employees with above 40 years of age, the medical check-up can be done once a year. 9. Loans: Many BPO companies provide loan facility on three different occasions: Employees are provided with financial assistance in case of a medical emergency. Employees are also provided with financial assistance at the time of their wedding. And, The new recruits are provided with interest free loans to assist them in their initial settlement at the work location. 10. Educational Benefits: Many BPO companies have this policy to develop the personality and knowledge level of their employees and hence reimburses the expenses incurred towards tuition fees, examination fees, and purchase of books subject, for pursuing MBA, and/or other management qualification at India's top most Business Schools. 11. Performance based incentives: In many BPO companies they have plans for, performance based incentive scheme. The parameters for calculation are process performance i.e. speed, accuracy and productivity of each process. The Pay for Performance can be as much as 22% of the salary. 12. Flexi-time: The main objective of the flextime policy is to provide opportunity to employees to work with flexible work schedules and set out conditions for availing this provision. Flexible work schedules are initiated by employees and approved by management to meet business commitments while supporting employee personal life needs .The factors on which Flexi time is allowed to an employee include: Child or Parent care, Health situation, Maternity, Formal education program 13. Flexible Salary Benefits: Its main objective is to provide flexibility to the employees to plan a tax-effective compensation structure by balancing the monthly net income, yearly benefits and income tax payable. It is applicable of all the employees of the organization. The Salary consists of Basic, DA and Conveyance Allowance. The Flexible Benefit Plan consists of: House Rent Allowance, Leave Travel Assistance, Medical Reimbursement, Special Allowance 14. Regular Get together and other cultural programs: The companies organizes cultural program as and when possible but most of the times, once in a quarter, in which all the employees are given an opportunity to display their talents in dramatics, singing, acting, dancing etc. Apart from that the organizations also conduct various sports programs such as Cricket, football, etc and regularly play matches with the teams of other organizations and colleges.

15. Wedding Day Gift: Employee is given a gift voucher of Rs. 2000/- to Rs. 7000/- based on their level in the organization. 16. Employee Referral Scheme: In several companies employee referral scheme is implemented to encourage employees to refer friends and relatives for employment in the organization. 17. Employee Stock Option Plan Now, the actual question, why people are leaving? What types of retention strategies are required? What is expected from HR Professional and how they can address this issue? Retention - A Big Challenge Fundamental changes are taking place in the work force and the workplace that promise to radically alter the way companies relate to their employees. Hiring and retaining good employees have become the chief concerns of nearly every company in every industry. Companies that understand what their employees want and need in the workplace and make a strategic decision to proactively fulfil those needs will become the dominant players in their respective markets. The fierce competition for qualified workers results from a number of workplace trends, including:

A robust economy Shift in how people view their careers Changes in the unspoken "contract" between employer and employee Corporate cocooning A new generation of workers Changes in social mores Life balance

Concurrent with these trends, the emerging work force is developing very different attitudes about their role the workplace. Today's employees place a high priority on the following:

Family orientation Quality of life issues Autonomy

To hold onto your people, you have to work counter to prevailing trends causing the job churning. Smart employers make it a strategic initiative to understand what their people want and need, then give it to them.

Retention Strategies This is not an exhaustive list, one can add or delete any of the below mentioned strategies. Secondly, the need of the hour is to have "right basics". Every individual is different, his needs are different, and his emotions, his problems are different. So, dear HR-Professionalssit down and concentrate on your basics. I have classified retention strategies into two parts: Main and Ancillary. Main retention strategies This is not an exhaustive list, one can add or delete any of the below mentioned strategies. Secondly, the need of the hour is to have "right basics". Every individual is different, his needs are different, and his emotions, his problems are different. So, dear HR-Professionalssit down and concentrate on your basics. 1. Communications - Getting Your People to Care Communication is the first step toward creating the kind of environment that people care about, and if they care, they just may stay. I'm not talking about a lot of New Age stroking designed to bring out the inner person or false praise that creates a misplaced sense of security. Instead, keep your people in the loop about what's happening with the company. At any time, all of your employees should have a pretty good idea of how business has been, and they should be aware of what issues the company is attempting to address. That means that you regularly keep your people up to date with important events affecting the company. If November was good, let them know, and while you're at it, tell them what you expect to happen in December. Share good news, as well as points of concern. If you've got "issues," talk about them before they start making you crazy. And if they don't get resolved, figure out whether the problem stems from a couple of individuals or from your system. The point here is that you want to treat these people as your partners, which they are. They may not have to worry about covering the payroll this week, but they do have worries of their own. Treat them with at least as much respect as they give you. As the store's owner or manager, you set the tone for the entire organization. If your salespeople, for instance, enjoy their encounters with you, they are much more likely to greet customers with a positive attitude. They are also much more likely to enjoy their work when they don't have a fire-breathing dragon looking to singe their butts. Listen to your employees when they have ideas for improvement. Again, the benefits extend beyond just making people feel appreciated for their contributions. These are, after all, the people who do the work every day. They may have some ideas to improve

productivity, and when they do come up with one, let everybody know where it came from. Post a "brag board" in your break room, or circulate an internal newsletter that touts these contributions. The pay-off is a contagious feeling of pride and, perhaps, some new efficiency that saves the company money. 2. Set Clear Expectations o How often do you appraise your employees/team-members? o What are your expectations from your employees/team-members? What are the parameters to measure their performance? Have you communicated to them? o What will be the consequences, if they fail? o What will be the rewards, if they exceed the expected level?

If you are not having any expectations, how you are going to appraise, your employees? Yes, you are going to be biased, because you don't have set standards. The role of a CEO, HR Manager is like a director of a movie; choreographer of a stage show, where there is a defined role for each character, each participant. Setting expectations initiates the process. Managers need to sit down with each employee and clearly define what's expected of them. Management consultant, Kenneth Philips, states that when expectations are not clear, employees may not be in sync with their job's current demands and priorities. Setting expectations is not a once and done activity. Jobs change. Priorities change. Resources change. Managers need to revise and set new expectations throughout the year. Setting expectations revolves around the following three areas:
o o o

Key job responsibilities Performance factors and standards Goals

Why is a setting expectation important? Quite simply, this process can be the cornerstone of improving the motivational climate within your sphere of responsibility. If your employees know what is expected of them, it allows them to focus on results and to monitor themselves against the set standards. Environments in which expectations are not clear, or change from week to week, seldom create high-performing work groups. The three principles that should drive expectations are clarity, relevance, and simplicity. Clarity. Expectations should focus on outcomes, not activities. In other words, you achieve clarity when you identify the expected results rather than the method for achieving them. Managers often make the mistake of attempting to direct the process that an employee will use rather than being clear about results. The advantage of identifying the outcome is that you, the

manager, focus only on the goal; after all, the employee will develop the method for achieving the desired results. Defining the objective often requires some thought on the part of the manager because it is easy to fall into the "activities trap." While developing a strategic plan for a department or division is a worthy activity, it does not represent an outcome. In the activities trap, developing a plan is the goal, rather than increasing your market share. Relevance. The principle of relevance helps define the "why" of the assignment. If your employees have a full understanding of the project's importance, they can make adjustments as unanticipated factors crop up within the process. They probably also will be more committed to the result because they can see more easily how it fits into the big picture and how their efforts impact the company. This understanding typically is accomplished through dialogue between the manager and subordinate, which allows for a more thorough review of the situation and for feedback and discussion. This process builds good will with the employee and sets the stage for additional responsibilities. Simplicity. Simplicity creates a sense of grounding for employees as they endeavour to carry out assignments. If managers identify the work in simple, straightforward terms, employees will find it much easier to follow through on managers' wishes. To accomplish this, a manager must identify the key message in a fashion that the employee can embrace. 3. Proper Rewarding A research reports says that in today's scenario, 70% of your employees are less motivated today than they used to be. 80% of your employees could perform significantly better if they wanted to. 50% of your employees only put enough effort into their work to keep their job.

As you might be aware of Employee Reward covers how people are rewarded in accordance with their value to an organization. It is about both financial and non-financial rewards and embraces the strategies, policies, structures and processes used to develop and maintain reward systems. The ways in which people are valued can make a considerable impact on the effectiveness of the organization, and is at the heart of the employment relationship. The aim of employee reward policies and practices, if any in your organization is to help attract, retain and motivate high-quality people. Getting it wrong can have a significant negative effect

on the motivation, commitment and morale of employees. Personnel and development professionals will be involved frequently in reward issues, whether they are generalists or specialize in people resourcing, learning and development or employee relations. Keep following parameters in mind, while designing a reward policy: Build a high degree of recognition value into every reward you offer.

Recognition is the most cost-effective motivator there is. While the high cost of other rewards forces us to give them sparingly, recognition can be given any time, at very little cost. Some very ordinary items and events can be imbued with extraordinary motivational significance, far in excess of their monetary value. I am constantly amazed at how motivating a pizza or movie tickets can be if is given with sufficient appreciation. A sincere thank you can be delivered at any place and at any time, costs absolutely nothing and can be more motivationally powerful than a substantial monetary bonus. Organizations can provide innovative recognition in an infinite number of ways.

For example, (A Hypothetical Incident) a small manufacturing company made its employees feel like heroes when they attained a major safety milestone - 100 days without a single accident. On the morning of day 100, it was announced that a catered lunch would be served the next day, if they made it to the 5:30 shift without an accident. At 5:15 anticipating was building. Managers took confetti and streamers to the balcony overlooking the shop floor. When the 5:30 whistle blew, there were congratulations all around, confetti flew through the air and banners were unfurled. It was a great moment for everyone - and one that was not soon forgotten. The recognition value of this celebration was extremely high, while the monetary cost was relatively low. Highly motivating organizations even celebrate small successes. A health-conscious company distributes fruit bowls to employees' work areas when key personal milestones are attained. Another company uses a more fattening approach: fresh-baked chocolate-chip cookies to say thank you. Reduce entitlements and link as many rewards as possible to performance. Clearly the traditional "pay for loyalty" systems in most organizations need to be changed. Don't let attendance be your major criterion for rewards. Most employees resent those who only put in their time and yet receive the same reward as those who go the extra mile. Today's employees have higher expectations for what work can and should be, and they want to receive rewards that reflect their personal efforts and contributions.

This is why so many companies are moving toward performance-based rewards, including performance bonuses, gain-sharing and non-monetary recognition. Although not a panacea, companies are finding that these new reward systems do allow them to give substantial rewards to those who really deserve them. Smart organizations are looking for opportunities to reduce across-the-board entitlements, and thereby find more resources for discretionary performancebased rewards, without increasing the total cost of rewards. Troubleshoot your reward system to make sure that what it is rewarding is what you really want to happen. The Law of Rewards - "What you reward is what you get" - Is extremely powerful. No matter what your orientation materials or job description might say, it is the rewards your organization gives that communicate the real expectations. The most important question to ask in evaluating the reward system in your organization is, do the rewards we are giving elicit the performance we want? Start with the results you want to achieve and then pinpoint the types of behaviours needed to achieve them. For example:
o o o

If you believe teamwork is going to get you the results you want, make sure you reward teamwork, and not internal competition between departments. If you want quality, make sure that productivity isn't over emphasized. And, If you want long-term solutions, don't reward quick fixes

Also, don't confuse employees with too many rewards. It is better to focus rewards on the critical few behaviours and results, rather than diluting them by rewarding the trivial many. Reward promptly. Rewards should be given as soon as possible after the performance has taken place. This is why the most successful gain-sharing programs pay employees monthly, rather than quarterly or annually as in the past.

There is a well-accepted law of behavioural psychology, that if you want someone to repeat a behaviour, you should positively recognize it immediately. From this law, smart supervisors and managers can learn a vital lesson: Look for any employee doing something right, right now, and recognizes it.

A support to this, here is my favourite reward story:

"When a senior manager in one organization was trying to figure out a way to recognize an employee who had just done a great job, he spontaneously picked up a banana (which his wife had packed in his lunch), and handed it to the astonished employee with hearty congratulations. Now, one of the highest honours in that company has been dubbed the "Golden Banana Award"." Give employees a choice of rewards. Rewards are as different as the people who receive them and it doesn't make sense to give rewards that recipients don't find rewarding. For example, some people prefer more pay, while others prefer more time off. A promotion might be more rewarding to one person, while a job-sharing arrangement might be more rewarding for another. Some people are excited about sports events, others about movies. Some employees would love a dinner in a romantic restaurant, others a book by their favourite author. Food, fun, education, improved work environment, gifts, travel, family-oriented activities - the options are endless. How do you know what will be rewarding to employees? Ask them. Smart organizations are also letting employees choose their own rewards from reward menus and catalogs. Personalizing rewards shows that a company cares enough to discover what "interests" each employee, rather than just distributing generic items. It also reduces the following danger: In one organization I was visiting, an employee opened a big drawer in his desk and disdainfully showed me all the "worthless trinkets" he had collected over the years.

Increase the longevity of your rewards. This can be done in a number of ways: One of the keys to reward longevity is symbolism. The more symbolic an item is of the accomplishment, the more likely it is to continue reminding the employee of why it was given. For instance, a T-shirt of coffee mug with a meaningful inscription will continue rewarding those who wear it, or use it, long after its initial receipt. There are many tokens of appreciation I still keep on or near my desk that remind me of the joy of past accomplishments, while the monetary rewards I have received are long spent and long forgotten.

Another way to increase the longevity of rewards in your organization is by using some kind of point system. Rather than rewarding each individual behaviour or accomplishment, points can be awarded, which employees can accumulate and eventually trade for items from a reward menu or gift catalog. This keeps the anticipation of rewards fresh for longer periods of time. It also addresses the need for reward individualization.

One company that designs motivational systems offers an electronic debit-card system to help larger clients cope with the complexity of distributing, tracking and redeeming employees'

points. Employees can use their points to purchase virtually anything they want, from sports equipment and clothing to automobiles and overseas vacations. They only caveat for such programs is to make sure that the recognition value of the rewards isn't lost because of the impersonal nature of the technology. One company uses a game it Call Safety Bingo. All employees receive a weekly bingo card. When an employee is observed working safely, a number is presented (immediate recognition). When they get "bingo", they receive a safety jacket (along with appropriate verbal reinforcement). The rewards escalate for subsequent wins. This type of program keeps employees interested for long periods of time, even though there might be weeks or months between rewards, and makes routine work more fun overall. Interestingly, when researchers have investigated the motivational dynamics of these workplace games, they have found that the major motivator is the playing, not the prize. Be continually vigilant of demotivators that may undermine your organization's best efforts to provide power rewards, and reduce them promptly. Most demotivators can be dramatically reduced by soliciting employee involvement in identifying highest-priority demotivators and by enlisting top-management commitment to support their reduction. It is probably self-evident that considerable sensitivity is needed in the administration of any reward system. One demotivator that is probably endemic in any reward system modification (especially as an organization moves from entitlements to more performance-based rewards) is a sense that something is being taken away. Employees need to be educated about the reasons that this is being done, understand the ultimate benefits to them and the organization, and should probably have some input into the change process. To avoid the perception of unfairness, it is important, first and foremost, that the process for allocating rewards is viewed by employees as being impartial. This requires an objective measurement system that few organizations have. Without such objective measurement, any reward system is probably destined to failure. Ancillary Retention Strategies 7. The quality of the supervision an employee receives is critical to employee retention. People leave managers and supervisors more often than they leave companies or jobs. It is not enough that the supervisor is well liked or a nice person, starting with clear expectations of the employee, the supervisor has a critical role to play in retention. Anything the supervisor does to

make an employee feel unvalued will contribute to turnover. Frequent employee complaints centre on these areas.

Lack of clarity about expectations, Lack of clarity about earning potential, Lack of feedback about performance, Failure to hold scheduled meetings, and Failure to provide a framework within which the employee perceives he can succeed.

8. The ability of the employee to speak his or her mind freely within the organization is another key factor in employee retention. Does your organization solicit ideas and provide an environment in which people are comfortable providing feedback? If so, employees offer ideas, feel free to criticize and commit to continuous improvement. If not, they bite their tongues or find themselves constantly "in trouble" - until they leave. 9. Talent and skill utilization is another environmental factor your key employees seek in your workplace. A motivated employee wants to contribute to work areas outside of his specific job description. How many people could contribute far more than they currently do? You just need to know their skills, talent and experience, and take the time to tap into it. As an example, in a small company, a manager pursued a new marketing plan and logo with the help of external consultants. An internal sales rep, with seven years of ad agency and logo development experience, repeatedly offered to help. His offer was ignored and he cited this as one reason why he quit his job. In fact, the recognition that the company didn't want to take advantage of his knowledge and capabilities helped precipitate his job search. 10. The perception of fairness and equitable treatment is important in employee retention. In one company, a new sales rep was given the most potentially successful, commission-producing accounts. Current staff viewed these decisions as taking food off their tables. You can bet a number of them are looking for their next opportunity.

In another instance, a staff person, just a year or two out of college, was given 20,000 in raises over a six month time period. Information of this type never stays secret in companies so you know, beyond any shadow of a doubt; the morale of several other employees will be affected. For example, you have a staff person who views her role as important and she brings ten years of experience, an M.B.A. and a great contribution record to the table. When she finds she is making less money than this employee, she is likely to look for a new job. Minimally, her morale and

motivation will take a big hit. Did the staff person deserve the raises? Yes. But, recognize that there will be impact on others. 11. Your best employees, those employees you want to retain, seek frequent opportunities to learn and grow in their careers, knowledge and skill. Without the opportunity to try new opportunities, sit on challenging committees, attend seminars and read and discuss books, they feel they will stagnate. A career-oriented, valued employee must experience growth opportunities within your organization. 12. A commonplace complaint or lament I hear during an exit interview is that the employee never felt senior managers knew he existed. By senior managers I refer to the president of a small company or a department or division head in a larger company. Take time to meet with new employees to learn about their talents, abilities and skills. Meet with each employee periodically. You'll have more useful information and keep your fingers on the pulse of your organization. It's a critical tool to help employees feel welcomed, acknowledged and loyal. 13. No matter what the circumstances are but never, never, ever threaten an employee's job or income. Even if you know layoffs loom if you fail to meet production or sales goals, it is a mistake to foreshadow this information with employees. It makes them nervous; no matter how you phrase the information; no matter how you explain the information, even if you're absolutely correct, your best staff members will update their resumes. I'm not advocating keeping solid information away from people; however, think before you say anything that makes people feel they need to search for another job. Conclusion Take a look at your organization Are you doing your best to retain your top talent? Employ these ten factors in your organization to retain your desired employees and attract the best talent, too. This report is not exhaustive, you can innovate many new strategies to retain your people. These are just the basics and if implemented in a proper way can give good results.