It’s Not Too Late to Attend to Your Talented Employees

Right Management, in a recent newsletter, The Shrinking Talent Pool, laid out four pieces of data that managers would do well to take note of:

1. (late 2009) 60% of employees planned to pursue new job opportunities as the economy improves in 2010.
2. 54% of companies report having lost top talent during the first half of 2010.
3. 54% of employees have been approached by outside organizations in the last 12 months to discuss job opportunities.
4. 80% of employees say their workloads have grown in the wake of layoffs, their trust has eroded, and they are feeling increasingly discontented.

Now, I know that these are just statistics. They don’t necessarily suggest the situation where you work. But, then again, maybe they do…

If it has been a rough year (or two) for your enterprise, you may have–not surprisingly–been distracted from giving those staff still with you the attention they need, especially in tough times. And when we talk about your top talent, the ones that will be difficult and expensive to replace, this is a critical consideration.

So, here is just a quick reminder. Especially with your key talent, have you been…

• Indicating and reminding them that they are valued?
• Talking with them about their ongoing learning and development, in current and potential future roles in your company?
• Listening closely to them and scanning for their concerns and how they are, in fact, coping?
• Monitoring their work, not to overload them?
• Communicating the organization’s priorities and strategy and where they fit in?

These are some things managers can do to have a positive impact on employee engagement levels and reduce the huge cost of turnover of your best people. And, if you look at the list, none of them cost very much…other than some of your time plus the energy required to sincerely attend to their well being.

© 2010, Ian Cook. All rights reserved.

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