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 sixth edition of a 22-week special on ideas you could implement to keep those best employees:

6) Educate Your Employees
      You can strengthen the ties that bind employees to your company through ongoing training and education. By expanding their knowledge base, you can solidify your employee base, nurturing a team of workers who are more skilled, more productive, and more satisfied with their jobs.

Employee education doesn't necessarily mean expensive college tuition reimbursements. There are plenty of easy, affordable ways to give your staff educational perks:

• Pay their membership dues to trade associations.
• Buy subscriptions for magazines related to their jobs or your industry
• Give them time off, with pay, to attend workshops and seminars during business hours.

Here's another tip: After their training, have your employees teach the rest of the department what they've learned. It's a great way to maximize your training dollars and establish camaraderie among your employees.