Five Ways to Retain High-Performing Staff
Last updated: August 18, 2021
Estimated reading time: 5.5 min
A reader asks:
“最近，我手下一个表现最好的员工辞职了，这让我意识到，我手下大部分员工的发展动力最终都流向了那些苦苦挣扎的员工。我应该为那些表现出色、自给自足、通常得不到我太多关注的员工做些什么?”
First, kudos to you for thinking about this. Retention is an ongoing effort—and one of your most important jobs as a manager. It’s a crucial part ofrelationship-building.
Yet, when a staff member is meeting or exceeding expectations, it’s easy (and sometimes necessary) to divert your energy toward the four-alarm fire blazing in another area, or even just onboarding your new hires. All too often, this means managers miss opportunities to develop and retain staff who are getting results and contributing to a thriving organizational culture.
员工的发展不仅仅是对工作的指导和指导，也是对未来道路的整体看法。2022年世界杯名额这意味着积极主动地谈论员工的目标、工作和抱负——即使在事情进展顺利的时候。
Here are five key things you can do to boost retention for each member of your team.
(Note: This article is focused on retaining high-performing staff, but these strategies can also be used to support staff who aren’t quite meeting expectations.)
1. Plan for continuous learning and growth.
Your goal is to make sure your staff member doesn’t need to seek growth somewhere else. Find out what skills they are motivated to expand, what they love about their role, and what new things they want to try. Talk explicitly about the staff member’s trajectory at the organization, and work with them to set stretch goals. Make time for next level training or add new responsibilities if that’s the best way to support their growth.
Of course, not everyone is excited about increased responsibilities and you don’t want to push something that feels like a burden. Always ask if you’re not sure, and be mindful of your positional power. Make sure the staff member knows it’s OK to say no or to propose their own professional development opportunities.
2. Invest in the longer-term picture for the role.
Talk with your staff member about the way this year’s goals tie into long-term plans and invite strategic thinking. Help them see their impact toward the bigger picture (for the organization, the field, or the system). For instance, you might say to your youth and families director, “I’m excited about your work to boost TK-K enrollment because it’s critical to demonstrating the need for universal early childhood education. Your investment in family engagement is going to ensure parents are organized to talk one-on-one with legislators in the coming session.”
3. Show appreciation.
Sometimes staff leave because they don’t feel recognized or valued. Make sure your staff members know how much you appreciate their contributions and effort. Be explicit about their impact and specific in yourpraise. Give concrete examples ofhowandwhysomething was great. For example, “I know managing our social media is just 20% of your role, but it’s a much bigger part of your impact. I just heard from our CTO that your effort more than doubled applications from our target audience. We’re so lucky to have you.” This isn’t just about big gestures during the performance evaluation period; retention is built on cumulative small moments throughout the year.
4. Use “stay interviews” and develop retention plans.
Instead of worrying about whether a staff member is happy or planning to stay long-term, you can ask directly: “You’re crucial to our work. How can we make sure that you stay for the next two years?” or “You are truly an asset to our team, and I wonder about your future plans. What can I do to support your growth with us?” You might do this over coffee or lunch, or discuss trajectory as part of the performance evaluation. And even if you don’t get a clear commitment, having an explicit discussion can make a big impression and invite dialogue that gives both you and the staff member a chance to talk about aspirations.
Keep in mind:当组织成长和变化时，确实会有一些人离开——这是健康的。有时，尤其是在经历了特别艰难的岁月、领导失误或重大转变之后，员工会离开。他们可能会筋疲力尽，心怀怨恨，或者他们只是不同意公司的新方向或通往成功的道路。他们可能已经准备好接受新事物了。当员工表示想要离开时，表达出你对他们的贡献的重视，以及你想要找到留住他们的方法(如果这是真的!)是公平的。然而，违背员工自身利益而说服他们留下来，很少会导致员工长期留任，也很少会重新激发员工的动力。许多领导者会犯这样的错误，他们会利用组织的使命或与成员、学生和同事的关系来说服员工“再坚持一个学年/竞选周期/资助周期”。More often than not, this strategy delays the inevitable and creates undue pressure on the staff member (especially BIPOC staff members or more junior staff members) to sacrifice their own interests and well-being for the sake of the organization.
5. Make it worth it.
让你的公司成为一流的工作场所。从薪资开始(如果你有权力的话)，但不要止步于此。看看你的薪酬政策，看看你能提供什么(暂停一下，做一个偏见检查，以确保你用公平的眼光评估所有的晋升和薪酬决定)。除了加薪，还要考虑员工福利、职业发展基金和公司提供的其他福利。
对于那些在薪酬方面控制范围有限的中层管理人员来说，你需要投资的是在你的组织工作的无形利益。这些包括文化、团队合作、归属感和获得持久成果的目标感。Find out what motivates your staff members to stay—and build on it.
In the end, you might not be able to keep every staff member forever, even if you want to. But you can cheer them as they soar to new heights and keep the door open should they ever choose to return. Be thoughtful and strategic about the relationship—every step of the way.