Five Ways to Motivate and Retain Your Top Talent

People change jobs many times throughout their career. Some people are perpetual job hoppers, others will only look for a new position if they are unhappy in their job. Many of the top reasons people chose to leave were:

• Manager Doesn’t Manage or Motivate. These are the managers who do not actively motivate their team or whose management styles are not a good fit for the employee.
• No Sense of Empowerment. People want to feel like they can make choices, solve problems, influence decisions and make a difference…not just be cogs in a machine.
• Too Much Infighting. Corporate politics are just as stressful as the real thing. And too few companies are good or effective at managing advancement.
• Lack of Recognition. Everybody thinks they work too hard and don’t get paid enough. So regular praise and an occasional free lunch can go a long way toward making employees feel good about where they work.
• The Company is a Sinking Ship. And nobody wants to be the last man off! If word gets around that the company is not performing well, the smart talent will leave before it’s too late.

You can use this list as a tool for doing a little organizational self-assessment. How are you doing in each of these five areas? If you could use a little improvement, try these five steps to ensure the talent you spent so much time hiring and training stays with you.

1. Be the best boss you can be. What’s it like to have you for a boss? Solicit feedback from the people who work with you, then use your new awareness to approach training. You can also read leadership blogs and books or even hire a coach.

2. Empower your team. Don’t just delegate responsibility; delegate the authority people need to make decisions. Your team can be much more efficient and effective with a little autonomy. Start small and give people more authority as they earn your trust.

3. Reduce office politics issues by being a positive role model. Don’t gossip and don’t tolerate it from others. Speak well of others when they aren’t present. If you see problems arising, address the people involved directly and privately.

4. Give both formal and informal recognition.  You can send letters, put names on plaques or give gift cards—any way to publicly acknowledge those employees who do great work or go above and beyond. And make sure to pat people on the back—figuratively—any chance you get.

5. Be transparent about the financial condition of the company. If people don’t get information about the company directly from you, they’ll get it elsewhere—and they’ll resent that. Regularly communicate “the good, the bad, and the ugly” so people can celebrate or work to improve things accordingly.

Whether you’re seeking great managers or motivated team members, Triumph Services can deliver top-notch, qualified IT professionals who will immediately contribute to your bottom line. Contact us any time to learn more about our services.