My clients aren’t surprised when I coach them on how to keep a valued employee. While they are certainly aware that we make money through placements, they more than appreciate the genuine effort I make to help them retain their most valued people.

That’s because as a Certified Employee Retention Specialist- (CERS) designated recruiter, I place just as much emphasis on keeping employees as I do the effort to find them in the first place. The CERS designation sets me apart as a top-tier, strategic collaborator with the client. The intensive reading, workshop training and mandatory continuing education have given me insight into the motivation and incentives that drive top talent and ensures stability and productivity for my clients. 

It’s not difficult to see the solution to the problem of employee malcontent. It all boils down to emotion. Employees are human, first and foremost, and as such have a basic need to feel valued and appreciated. I work with clients to maintain an environment that engages employees and demonstrates a genuine appreciation.

When developing engagement practices and a recognition program, there are 5 key things to keep in mind:

Start with the right people! 

Give employees the authority to meet their responsibilities.

Treat employees with respect and trust.

Provide performance feedback and recognize achievements.

Devote resources to engaging employees.

There are a variety of ways to engage employees and foster a sense of community to help employees feel connected to the bigger picture that is the company:

Company newsletter

Suggestion box/forum

Dress-down Friday

Slogan/idea contests

Intranet and social media

Company picnics/holiday party

A recognition program can also help inspire and motivate a team. The program should be open to all employees, should include specific criteria for earning recognition, and the recognition should occur as close to the accomplishment being recognized as possible.  Examples include:

Employee/top sales person of the month wall photo or reserved parking space

Recognition at meeting or event

Mention in corporate newsletter, Intranet site/social media sites

Thank you letter from company

Lunch on the company

Award certificate

Promotional items with company logo

Comp time

Financial rewards, such as bonuses, stock options and profit sharing, are another means of recognition, but because they have a cost involved, they should be tied to a direct benefit for the company and based on an employee’s specific accomplishments as set forth upon employment. An effective reward program must have a clear means of measurement in order to earn the reward and must be plainly communicated to the employee. 

There are many ways to engage employees and make them feel that they are valued members of the team and not all of them are costly. The bottom line is: it doesn’t make sense not to do it. 

In today’s economy more than ever, clients are looking for that long-term solution, and the effort to help them retain their top producers is a big step toward that. Your clients will come back to you because you made a lasting difference to their productivity.

Speaking from experience, I have a more than 92% retention rate for support IT and admin positions I have placed over the last three years.  In sales retention programs I have developed for recruiting and retention, my clients have a better retention rate by 215% above the industry average. I credit this success to my CERS training and ongoing education.