Retaining Top Employees

Retaining Top Employees

Authors: J. Leslie McKeown

Published: July 2002

eISBN: 9780071415477 0071415475 | ISBN: 9780071387569

Contents

Preface

1. “Employee What?!”

Just What Is “Employee Retention” Anyway?

What “Employee Retention” Used to Mean

What “Employee Retention” Means Now

What “Employee Retention” Might Mean Soon

Manager’s Checklist for Chapter 1

2. The Secret’s in the Swing

Develop a Retention Mindset

Don’t Get Hung up on Strategies

People Stay Where They Feel at Home

The Five Phases of Retaining Top Employees: How Good Is Your Swing?

Picturing the Shot: Envisioning Your Retention Strategy

Club Selection: Deciding Which Retention Tools to Use

Backswing: Recruiting for Retention

Point of Impact: Making the Difference with Orientation

Follow-Through: Maintaining Retention Through the Employment Life Cycle

Manager’s Checklist for Chapter 2

3. Envisioning Your Retention Strategy

Which Employees Do You Want to Retain?

Why Do You Want to Retain the Targeted Employees?

What Do You Need to Do to Retain the Targeted Employees?

Turning Data into Achievable Retention Goals

Manager’s Checklist for Chapter 3

4. Know Your Demographics

Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y: The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

The Seven Areas of Distinction in Employee Retention

Effective Tools for Retaining Boomers

Effective Tools for Retaining Gen-Xers

Wassup? Planning for Retaining Gen-Yers

Manager’s Checklist for Chapter 4

5. Compensation: Why It (Almost) Doesn’t Matter

Why Compensation (Almost) Doesn’t Matter

What a Compensation Plan Must Achieve

What to Include in Your Compensation Plan

How to Design Your Compensation Plan

Maximizing the Results from Your Compensation Plan

Manager’s Checklist for Chapter 5

6. Employee Recognition: What Works, What Doesn’t

Targeting Your Recognition Program to Top Employees

Orienting Your Recognition Program Around Retention

Designing Recognition Programs to Enhance Behaviors

Designing Specific Recognition Goals

Ensuring That Your Targets Are Attainable

Setting Fair Outcomes

Making Recognition Programs Appropriate

Communicating Your Recognition Program

Manager’s Checklist for Chapter 6

7. Recruiting for Retention

What Is Recruiting for Retention?

The Employment Contract

The New Hiring Model(s)

Manager’s Checklist for Chapter 7

8. Making the Difference with Orientation

The Link Between Retention and Orientation

There’s No Such Thing as “No Orientation”

Immediate Impact of a Retention-Focused Orientation Program

Medium-Term Goals of a Retention-Focused Orientation Program

Developing Cohesive Retention-Focused Orientation Program Content

Manager’s Checklist for Chapter 8

9. The Role of the Manager, Part 1

Onboarding

Setting Goals

Performance Management

Growth and Development

Providing a Buffer

Manager’s Checklist for Chapter 9

10. The Role of the Manager, Part 2

The Manager as Company Representative

The Manager as Leader

The Manager as Work-Life Balance Indicator

Managing Departing Employees and Alumni

Manager’s Checklist for Chapter 10

11. Mentoring and Coaching Programs

The Benefits of Mentoring and Coaching Programs

Definitions and Vocabulary

What Is Mentoring?

What Is a Mentor?

The Distinction Between a Coach and a Mentor

What Is the Difference Between Mentoring and Managing?

Separating Mentoring and Managing

How Does a Coach Differ from a Mentor?

Two More Possibilities

Manager’s Checklist for Chapter 11

12. Summary: Making It All Work

"Toto, I Have a Feeling We’re Not in Kansas Anymore”

It’s All About Adding Value

Using Points of Leverage in Your Organization

Building a Retention Culture

And Finally…

Manager’s Checklist for Chapter 12

Index