High Turnover? Poor Management May be to Blame

Are you dealing with high employee turnover? Think that the problem is today's young workforce? You may want to adjust your point of view. High unemployment rates combined with today's shaky economy means that many people will find it hard to find new jobs. So why does your office have a revolving door when it comes to personnel? Sorry to say, the problem might just be you. Find out if your company's management style is to blame with these tips.

Just Ask

Many companies utilize a management review system. In this performance review, manager's skills are evaluated by their subordinates. Sure, some employees use this as a vehicle to voice complaints. An employee who hasn't received a desired promotion or even someone having a bad day could turn in a biased review of their boss. But if the manager is doing his or her job properly, this bad review will be the exception, not the norm. IBM utilizes a confidential annual opinion survey for this very purpose. The entire company participates in the survey that analyzes, among other things, job satisfaction and management's capabilities. Technical knowledge and inner personnel skills are assessed. If a manager receives poor overall rankings, steps are taken to address the problem.

Saying Goodbye

Some employees will never be comfortable voicing complaints while they are still working for the company. Whether this is due to fear of retaliation from a boss, or because they just don't feel it is their place, some employees withhold valuable information. To capture this information, begin conducting exit interviews. Most employees will feel more comfortable sharing information when they already have one foot out the door. Ask them how they felt about the company, the benefits, their managers and even co-workers. Mine as much information as possible before this valuable resource is gone forever. You can even utilize one of our Exit Interview forms (for interviews conducted by mail or in person).

Eagle Eye

Be observant. Are your employees smiling or laughing? Do people appear relaxed and happy at work? While I am not suggesting that your office look like cocktail hour at the local bar, it should appear to be a place where people are comfortable. If your employees are fighting with each other, and your have high absenteeism you probably have a problem with employee morale. Negative attitudes and pessimism is contagious, so put a stop to this behavior quickly. A positive atmosphere begins with positive attitudes from company leadership.

Your employees are your most valuable asset. Treat them as such and you might be surprised what you get in return.