How to retain your best employees

The rules of employee retention have changed. No longer can loyalty be bought with big salaries, hefty bonuses, and rich benefits packages. Today it takes intangible, non-monetary rewards to create an atmosphere that makes your people feel valued, respected, and involved. It takes a whole new way of thinking. This is the fifteenth edition of a 20-week special on ideas you could implement to keep those best employees:

15) Look Beyond your Department
 Sometimes a pat on the back from an unexpected source can lift an employee's spirits. You can be that unexpected source when you give praise and recognition to people outside your area of responsibility.

If you encounter an exceptional employee in another department, do something to show your appreciation. It could be as simple and informal as a "thank you," or something more official, like a letter of commendation sent to the worker and his or her immediate supervisor.

Is this overstepping your boundaries? Doing someone else's job? Those are exactly the perceptions you'll need to overcome if you're serious about boosting morale and keeping good employees. Retention isn't a departmental task; it's a companywide enterprise. If you want more teamwork from your staff, let your own actions serve as an example. If you want to defuse any "us against them" mentality that crops up at your office, learn to value your top performers, no matter where they work.