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 sixteenth edition of a 20-week special on ideas you could implement to keep those best employees:

16) Practice what you Preach
In the wake of massive corporate downsizing and restructuring, it's not surprising that many employees are on the defensive. In fact, a survey from the Council of Communication Management revealed that 64% of employees believe that management is often lying to them. When employees detect mixed signals and broken promises coming from management, they grow more resentful.. and it's kind of lasting resentment that may not fully surface until the next interview.

When it comes to dealing with your employees, actions speak louder than words. For example:

• The president of the company announces a new initiative toward "total quality". Two months later, a salary freeze is implemented.
• A manager constantly extols the virus of efficiency, but rewards only employees who put in many overtime hours.
• A company launches a new "employee empowerment" campaign, but continues to not listen to what its employees are saying.

Employees today are often asked to bend over backwards for the company, but the company has to bend a little, too. How can you ask your staff to be flexible about working overtime if you're not willing to offer them flexible hours? Why should your people respect the customer if they don't feel respected themselves?

A good strategy for avoiding conflict is to align your rewards with company objectives. If the company makes customer service its top priority, recognize employees who take good care of your clients. If you're on a cost-cutting crusade, give employees a percentage of the savings resulting from their ideas. When you practice what you preach, you don't have employees; you have partners-partners who are more willing to stick with you for the long haul.