The Manager’s Role in

Employee Retention

Tuning In To Employee
Expectations
Teleclass Agenda #2

Setting the Stage

The Case for Employee Retention
Myths About Keeping Great Employees
Manager’s Role is Paramount
The 12 Gallup Workplace Statements
 Managing Work Expectations -Transforming
Attitudes Self-Assessment
“Old Contract” #3

If employees would: Employer would give:

work hard a job for life
be loyal a home away from home
give their all regular salary increases
good chance for promotion
Manager’s Role in Employee Retention #4

1980-90’s Downsizing Environment

Career Development was “trashed”

2000’s Job Seeker’s Paradise

Career Development is “hot”
Economic Growth
Unemployment less than 6%
Manager’s Role in Employee Retention #5

Changing Demographics
Shrinking of 25-34 year old labor pool
82% of senior executives in Federal
government eligible for retirement

Downsizing had negative impact on

employee loyalty
Manager’s Role in Employee Retention #6

2000’s organizational challenge

Aggressive business environment
Sustaining competitive advantage
How does organization distinguish itself in
competitive market?
Way to differentiate from fierce competitors
More dependent on top performers
Reliant on human assets to survive
Manager’s Role in Employee Retention #7

Retention
keeping desirable employees
Attrition
loss of personnel
Career Planning
bottom-up view of right people in right place
Succession Planning
top-down view of right people in right place
A Case for Employee Retention #8

Most managers think about retention when its

too late--after the resignation
Long-term organizational strategy will not be
accomplished if attrition is common
Has a domino effect both within and outside of
organization
A Case for Employee Retention cont’d #9

Factors within control of managers are

most frequent reasons for departure
People don’t quite companies- they quit
managers
Compensation a “distant” factor
Best retention intervention is not a single
point resolution
Critical Findings # 10

 Loss of productivity
by departing employee (ROAD program)
learning curve for replacement
office incidentals
multiply costs by number of employees who
leave in one year
Critical Findings # 11

 Data from exit interviews typically fails to

surface REAL cause of attrition problems.
Possible retribution
Embarrassed of real reason
Chance of mis-diagnosing critical factors
Critical Findings # 12

 Average manager fails to take personal

responsibility for employee’s departure.
Ignore factors within their control
Typically point to external factors
Managers need awareness training
Managers need tools to meet personal
accountability to retain
Critical Findings #13

 Only time manager thinks about

retention is when employee departs.
Managers attempt to talk departing
employees out of leaving (“big mistake”)
Tie retention to critical organizational
activities--integral to success
Treat career planning as an on-going
priority
Be proactive
Critical Findings #14

 Departure of valued employees can have

a ripple effect on internal customers
Transition to new employee must be well
managed
Regular changes indicate organizational
instability
Critical Findings #15

 Certain degree of attrition is positive

Monitor retention and attrition rates
Note unusual organizational factors
Must employee correct strategies
workplace learning is now a strategy
Critical Findings #16

 Must have a career development system

Important that employee expectations are
uncovered and discussed
Must involve all levels in retention
Reference Material # 17

Managing Work Expectations -

Transforming Attitudes
Inscape Publishing
First, Break All the Rules
by Buckingham & Coffman
 Simon & Schuster
For More Information:

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