Companies make a significant investment as they recruit and train entry-level technicians and other staff members.

Resources associated with these activities as well as valuable knowledge, skills and experience are lost when employees leave the healthcare facility. Turnover and low levels of employee morale can be a challenge, but fortunately, there are numerous ways that can help improve retention rates. Some managers believe that higher compensation is the only way to avoid staff turnover and increase morale; However, throwing money at a problem is not likely to be an effective solution. While staff members must be paid a competitive wage, there are numerous non-monetary benefits which, depending upon the employee, can also be important. Here we will explore practical and low-cost ways company can become the employer of choice for employees. Given below are 50 tips for managers to follow sound management concepts that help in retaining the employees.

Strategy 1: Follow Sound Management Advice

Tip 1 : Serve first and lead second. Many managers land their first job because they performed well as entry-level employees. Those who make the successful transition from employee to manager do so, in part, because someone (their own boss) had confidence in their ability and in their potential to succeed. It is this same confidence and concern that your employees seek from you. The best leaders spend the majority of their time helping to make those whom they lead look good. A manager is a servant first and a leader second, and facilitates the work of staff members by: Training them adequately Providing tools/equipment that are safe and well-maintained Removing obstacles to success Helping employees resolve problems Providing employees with continuing opportunities to learn on the job

Tip 2: Establish Your Employee Average Retention Rate Take time and calculate your average retention rate. Compare it with other companies in similar business as you. Is your retention rates are higher than others ? If yes, find out what are you doing different that is making employees stay longer with you than with others. These are your unique strengths, build on them. If your retention rates are lower than the other companies in the same field, that too will help you identify the areas where you need to pay attention. After you have read these tips and implemented the strategies you like, you will want to measure your success. To do this, you have to know where you began.

Tip 3 : Estimate Your Turnover Costs Some costs of turnover can be easily and directly calculated. For example, you can assess the cost of newspaper ads used to recruit new employees. The time you spend interviewing applicants, helping the new employee to complete necessary paperwork, and conducting an

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orientation session can be easily determined. However, many costs of turnover (and generally the most significant ones), cannot be calculated objectively; they must be estimated. For example, how could you accurately determine the following: The costs incurred by employees who know they are going to leave but stay on your payroll, and increasingly fail to meet standards of quality, quantity, customer expectation, and other standards. The cost of providing a new employee with on-the-job training using a method in which both the employee and the trainer's time is sometimes spent in training for new tasks and sometimes spent in performing tasks that have already been learned. The cost of the honest mistakes made by a new employee who wants to do well but who has yet to develop the knowledge and skills required for the job. The cost incurred when your business is short-staffed and the available staff cannot meet quality standards. Calculate how much it costs your department due to employees leaving. And use these costs to get management approval for employee retention strategies which are in most likelihood, will be less expensive to implement so that retention rates increase.

Tip 4 : Follow All Applicable Govt. Labor Laws Are your employees getting the minimum wages, Provident Fund Benefits, Overtime, Bonus, Dearness allowances, employees Insurance benefits etc. Compliances with applicable laws help you in nurturing the image of the company that it is good and socially responsible company. Your employees will be your brand ambassadors in telling others about the company and help you attract others also who are looking for a stable and well established company

Tip 5 : Eliminate employees who wont Supervisors are sometimes accused of reducing hiring standards to that of "any applicant with a warm body." Of course, those who make these statements probably aren't supervisors who are often faced with days when only one of three workers has come in as scheduled (because one has called in sick and another has quit without notice).Despite the temptation to hire workers immediately, however, you must not lower your selection or performance standards. The reason is clear: Your very best employees will not stay if you do!

To ensure that your best staff members stay, eliminate employees who might cause them to leave. Managers have a responsibility to effectively orient, train and supervise all staff members; However, those who dont perform to work standards and/or abuse sick leave, vacation, personal time and related policies, create a negative impact upon good employees who do most of the work. Further, consider to whom you would assign a special project: a good employee or a problem employee. The answer is obvious; the assignment would be given to the best staff member. Managers create a disincentive for employees to be effective: they are assigned additional work because their peers may not be able to do it.

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Tip 6 : Eliminate managers who cant You Can Easily Identify Your Poor Managers: They constantly need new employees to replace those who have quit. They constantly criticize the quality of their workers. They never have time to properly orient or train employees. The accident rate of their employees is higher than those of other supervisors. Customer complaints about the service levels of their employees are higher than those for other managers. Standards relating to quality and quantity of work suggest substandard performance. They are the source of continuous employee complaints Ineffective managers cannot ask their employees to go the extra mile if staff members perceive that the managers will not do the same for them. Tolerating poor performance from marginal employees will cause good employees to leave. Poor performance by managers, however, is likely to be an even greater cause of high turnover. You owe it to your employees to provide them with competent leaders. To improve your employees morale, eliminate managers who cant manage.

Tip 7: Manage customers Contrary to the old saying, the customer is not always right. That's right. Not only are customers sometimes wrong, where your entry-level workers are concerned, customers are sometime abusive, contemptuous, sexually inappropriate and/or verbally threatening. There's more bad news! You can be held legally liable for outrageous customer behavior (for example, if you knew, or should have known, about the behavior but did nothing to protect your employees). In addition, you can lose good workers if you sacrifice their goodwill in favor of the goodwill of an uncivilized customer. This is not to say that customers are not vitally important. Of course they are. It is also important that all your employees be professional at all times. It is your job to ensure that they are. However, consider carefully how you should respond when your employees react to being abused by customers. Responses such as criticism and/or discipline, demands for an apology, and termination may, in fact, be very inappropriate. Not only do such responses fail to support your employees, they may open the door to potential lawsuits.

When problems arise, hopefully, your customers complain about your processes, not your employees. Staff members continually learn about your expectations. They want to know that their managers will support them and they count on the manager to champion them. Do not sacrifice the integrity of your relationship with employees by allowing customers to insult or be abusive toward staff members.

Strategy 2: Make First Impressions Count (Orientation)

Now that weve reviewed some basic tips that impact the manager/ employee relationship, lets see how first impressions can make a difference.

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Tip 8 : Understand the role of initial salary Ask your new employees why they left one employer for another. How often do you hear, "I left for a better paying job"? Would a staff member (or you) change positions for Rs. 50 more per hour? For Rs. Two thousand more per week? Many experts argue about whether money motivates employees to remain at or move between jobs. Many employees can choose between different jobs in the same and in different industries. For example, a young person with good customer service skills can work in numerous fast-food outlets or in other retail businesses such as movie theaters and retail stores. Remember that you compete with many employers in different industries for your fair share of the labor force. Employees are likely to be attracted to your organization if you are known as an employer of choice within the community. Significant amounts of money probably do motivate entry-level employees, but small amounts of additional compensation may not. Yes, compensation must be competitive (competitive does not mean the highest in the industry!) It can retain and motivate employees by building a foundation of sound management practices. As this occurs, job seekers will come to the facility to enjoy a better job (which is not necessarily the best paying job).

Tip 9 : Inform employees about their total compensation

Hopefully, your employees recognize that their total compensation is more than just their salaries. Sometimes, however, they do not think about the more subtle benefits they also receive. Inform staff members about these benefits during the initial job interview and during their orientation program. Identify these benefits, quantify their value and keep them visible to your employees. Help your staff understand that their total pay is much greater than just their salary.

Tip 10 : Explain long-term benefits of staying

Long-term employees frequently qualify for benefits not applicable to recently hired employees. Examples include automatic raises, bonus, extended vacations and/or other types of financial compensation/ internal recognition. These and related advantages of long-term employment may be less visible to and/or understood by new employees. Dont let this happen; keep long-term benefits highly visible to your entry-level employees. Review them initially during orientation programs and then frequently during initial employment periods. Ensure that your employees know your facility repays long-term loyalty.

Tip 11 : Share your vision

Effective managers have a vision about what they want from their department. Service levels and productivity standards, along with minimized defects are important. Assure that your employees know these goals and why they should be important to everyone. Your staff wants to know about the goals and objectives of the department, how their position helps to attain these goals, why it is important that the goals be obtained and what they and others must do to meet or exceed them.

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Effective managers share their thoughts, solicit ideas from staff members and work together as a team to meet goals.

Tip 12 : Motivate Entry-level employees

There are two types of entry-level employees: those who have been there for only a short time and experienced employees who have been in entry-level positions for a long time. Managers want to retain all entry-level staff that meets departmental standards. Tips to do this can vary according to the length of time a staff member has worked in the company. For example, experienced employees may want to know how you can help them advance; new staff members may look to you to help them increase their comfort level and their sense of belonging on the departmental team. It is important to match retention strategies to meet the needs of specific employees.

Tip 13 : Conduct entrance interviews

New employees may be impressed if, early in their employment, they can talk with upper-level managers. They are looking for reinforcement that their employment decision was a good one. An early opportunity to show new employees that higher-level administrators really do care about them can establish an on-going relationship that yields dedicated employees. The interview need not be long; just as a few minutes to ask new employees about their families, their hobbies and their job aspirations may be sufficient. Dont think of a staff member as just another new hire; the more one learns about employees the better one can match the needs of staff members with those of the healthcare facility.

Tip 14: Create a career ladder

A career ladder is a road map explaining how advancement takes place. It is one way to show your employees how they can advance if they do remain with your company. Analyze each entrylevel position and think about how a talented staff member holding that job can advance. Then develop a career ladder progression showing the title, rank and pay for each job. A review of career ladder possibilities with employees during times of orientation and performance appraisal, as well as during mentoring activities, if available, can help staff members envision the future they can have as long-term employees. Hopefully, you noted that most of the above tips do not cost a lot of money to implement. Rather, they are common sense tips that can be used to help employees feel good about themselves and reinforce their decision to remain with your company. Would you like these things if your own manager used them to interact with you and your peers? The answer is probably yes. Try them with your own staff members and your department will be on the way to becoming an employer of choice within your company and within your business.

Excerpts from 50 one Minutes Tips for Retaining Employees Naresh Taneja 5/16

Strategy 3: Train! Train! Train! (and Do It Correctly)

Tip 15: Invest in Training

Good managers know training doesnt cost, it pays! Some managers lament that they spend money to train employees who then leave. However, no manager has a crystal ball to know which, if any, employees will leave when training is complete. The alternative of training no one so training time/funds are not wasted is unreasonable. In fact, training new employees sends a message to staff members that you care enough about them to train them, which only aids retention. It is challenging to consistently provide professional development opportunities to staff members. Resources financial and human must be invested to develop/deliver necessary training. However, it may be beneficial to utilize external training resources to reduce costs; For example, using materials developed by other departments of the company, conducting and encouraging staff members to attend internal training sessions/ meetings and, for generic management-related training, participating in related community organizations can reduce training costs.

Tip 16: Encourage employees to Try Your Product or Service If you hire entry-level workers, you can strengthen your ties with them by having them sample the product or service they help provide. For example, the major auto manufacturers offer significant discounts to their employees. This helps create a connection between the workers, the products they produce, and the organization that employs them. You may be able to do the same thing in your business. Consider reducing the cost of (or providing a complimentary sample of) the product or service you offer. For example, one hotel significantly reduced employee turnover after allowing newly hired housekeepers to spend a night in the hotel with their families at no cost. Restaurants often encourage wait staff to sample menu items. Retailers frequently offer employee discounts on merchandise.

Tip 17: Train Trainers to Train

When good entry-level employees are promoted to managerial positions, some of their tasks may stay the same. However, they also become responsible for new ones including training. How does one learn to train? Some persons must, apparently, assume that this knowledge and skill is learned automatically because no train the trainer experiences are provided. If a manager hasnt trained a manager to effectively train subordinates, how can the manager expect entry-level employees to know how to do their job. First impressions of new staff members are, in part, affected by how well (or how poorly) they are trained. One either proactively trains or does so by default; the latter occurs when the important task of training is delegated (by doing nothing) to those who must then improvise or follow the lead of their own trainers who, in fact, may not have participated in training education.

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Tip 18: Reward Your Trainers

How do you thank someone who has helped your department ? In the case of training, the answer is frequently, I dont. In fact, some managers actually punish trainers by requiring them to conduct training in addition to all the work they would normally do during a shift. Most employees appreciate recognition from their boss when they perform a task well. A sincere thank you and a genuine expression of appreciation are two simple ways to provide recognition. This is especially helpful in an organizational culture that supports ongoing respect between employees and their managers.

Tip 19 : Relieve Trainers of Other Jobs/Duties

What do you do when you need three technicians for a specific shift and someone must also be trained? Do you utilize four technicians (three technicians and a trainee) or three technicians (two technicians and a trainee)? In this example, when you use only two experienced technicians you are requiring them to do all of the work normally performed by three technicians and, in addition, provide training. As this occurs, the new employee does not receive proper training, and experienced employees must work harder to do all required work and conduct training. It is, therefore, more likely that your customers will receive products/services that fail to meet your departments quality standards.

Tip 20 : Conduct Pre-Shift Training

Training is not only required for new employees; all staff members need on-going professional development opportunities. Short training sessions before shifts begin can help staff members keep up with necessary changes. Pre-shift training can eliminate surprises as all staff members are updated about work procedures and requirements. Additionally, it is another step in the managers effort to continually show employees they are respected, that they are part the solution (not the problem) and that every staff member is an important part of the team.

Strategy 4: Maintain a Professional Workplace

Tip 21 : Strictly Enforce a Zero-Tolerance Harassment Policy

The Govt. Acts prohibits sexual and other forms of harassment in the workplace. There are severe penalties for violating these laws. To guard against liability from harassment charges and to ensure a quality workplace for all staff members there should be zero tolerance of objectionable behavior. Including a harassment policy in your employee manual is a good idea as

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is posting the policy in common areas such as departmental bulletin boards. The policy must be discussed in new employee orientation sessions and at other staff meetings.

Tip 22 : Create a Culturally Diverse Workplace Demographers estimate that by the year 2040, there will be no majority workers in the United States. Everyone, regardless of ethnic background, will be a minority. That means you will have a minority workforce, even if you don't have one now. Recognizing a diverse workforce is important because employees tend to remain in a comfortable environment; they will leave an environment in which they are uncomfortable. It is important to maintain, at all levels of your organization, a workforce that reflects the makeup of the community in which you operate and attract your workers. These employees bring unique and necessary ideas to your workplace. They also help make new entry-level employees feel "at home," and they can provide the on-the-job support and hospitality that encourages new employees to stay with you.

Tip 23 : Make Employee Safety a Top Priority

Attention to employee safety is directly related to your retention rate. Employee injuries at work cost your company and injured employees may not be able to or want to return to work. Emphasizing employee safety goes a long way toward implementing ones professional concern for employee welfare. In the process, it is possible to create an atmosphere where the staff becomes more confident of your concerns for them.

Tip 24 : Ensure Reasonable Accommodations for Disabled Employees

For disabled persons, what counts is not what they lack, but what they do with what they have. Disabled persons are as dependable or even more dependable than other employees. You need not hire unqualified disabled applicant. You will still want to select the most qualified candidate so long as no applicant is eliminated from consideration because of a disability. For employers to make reasonable accommodations for disabled workers, two things are required: they must make existing facilities readily acceptable to employees with mobility impairments, and they must restructure jobs in the most accommodating manner to allow disabled individuals to perform them.

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Tip 25 : Share Financial Numbers with Employees

Most staff members like to feel they are in the loop about what is happening in their organization. They like to feel that their boss respects and trusts them enough to share information that might not be available to others. Can monthly financial information applicable to the facility and/or department be posted for all employees to view? Sharing financial information need not be all or nothing. If, for example, a total financial picture of the facility should not be revealed, it might be possible to provide other information such as the number of units processed, customer feedback information, number of patients served, etc. When possible, select data upon which employees can have a direct impact. This helps show that they are a central part of the team. Now we will continue with tips applicable to supervision and communication.

Strategy 5: Supervise As You Would Like to Be Supervised

Tip 26 : Use On-Time Policies Fairly and Consistently

Employees do not like it when their managers favor one worker over another. They watch their manager's actions carefully, and can grow resentful if favoritism is shown. Wise managers never allow some employees to arrive to work later than their scheduled time with no consequences while others are subjected to punishment. This type of inconsistency may have legal implications and, as importantly, the issue of favoritism is likely to arise. "On-time" policies should address staff members arriving to work and returning from meal periods and other scheduled rest breaks. Policies should be fair and reasonable, and input from staff members as policies are prepared can be helpful.

Tip 27 : Be Careful Not To Over-Schedule

Some employees may not be able to work as often as you would like. Older employees may be limited in the number of hours they can work, for example. If employees are scheduled for more hours than they desire, this may be reason for some to quit. Others may stay, but remain frustrated because they believe their manager is taking advantage of them. Stress can result when employees are forced to set a priority between their job, their family and other interests. It is necessary to properly staff the department, but don't over-schedule. The longterm solution to staffing problems is to retain current staff members. Over-scheduling will increase not reduce turnover.

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Tip 28 : Give Employees a Personal Copy of Their Work Schedule

Sometimes posting a general schedule in a public area for all employees to see is not sufficient to guarantee adequate staffing for every shift. Some staff members, for whatever reasons, are more likely to adhere to a schedule if they receive a personal copy. Managers can make a special effort to work with affected staff members to ensure they are aware of their scheduled work shifts. Posting a schedule on the bulletin board may be an effective communication strategy for most (but certainly not all) staff members. Managers can help the relatively few employees with special needs by providing them with a personal copy of the schedule.

Tip 29 : Know About Employee Assistance Programs

Some staff members who are (or who have been) performing successfully may need professional assistance. They may encounter personal problems such as alcohol/substance abuse, financial or marital difficulties or a wide range of other off-the-job challenges. These problems can affect their attendance, their ability to consistently meet required work standards and their personal interactions with you/other employees. Although it is not a manager's job to solve these types of problems, one can show concern by directing them to places where proper professional assistance can be obtained.

Tip 30 : Invite "Fast-Track Employees" to Attend Management Meetings

Employees who feel valued and who believe that their manager has important plans for them are more likely to remain with the facility and be motivated as they work. Employees often wonder what their bosses do "behind closed doors." Consider inviting appropriate employees (or even most or all employees on a rotational basis) to attend all/some management meetings. They will get a big picture of the company its challenges, its operating strategies and its future and they may even have helpful suggestions. Employees will feel more like they are part of the team and will show their respect for and interest in open communication between their managers and themselves.

Tip 31 : Implement A "Catch an Employee Doing Something Right" Program

Some managers pay more attention to minor infractions than to positive experiences with their staff members. A manager who is an effective coach thanks and praises employees and encourages them, if possible in presence of other employees, when they do something right. Those who look for and find what is positive about their employees are likely to enjoy positive results; managers who emphasize the negative are likely to see negative consequences.

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Tip 32 : Conduct an Exit Interview with Employees Who Leave

It is important to know why staff members leave. Conduct an exit interview with each departing employee. Reasons given for leaving can help you plan future retention strategies. Keep a record of reasons why employees leave and analyze them to assess any patterns that emerge in areas within your control. Information gained from departing workers can, in fact, help the facility avoid losing future employees.

Strategy 6: Encourage Ongoing Communication

Tip 33 : Hold Employee-Focused Meetings for All Non-Management Staff

All employees should be included in regularly scheduled staff meetings. These sessions can be very important in improving communication between managers and entry-level staff. Managers should not monopolize conversation at staff meetings. While it is important for them to inform employees about what they need to know it is also important to give staff members a chance to talk about their concerns. The primary purpose of these meetings should be to improve communication and to identify concerns which the manager can then address.

Tip 34 : Communicate the Unique Benefits of Your Company/ Department

Every facility and department within it has characteristics that can make it special and enjoyable for its employees. For example, you might emphasize the welfare of your employees and stress how you provide an enjoyable work culture. Highlight features of your facility and department that can help attract and retain workers seeking these benefits. Think about what you personally like about your facility/department. By analyzing your own reasons for staying, you may be able to give your employees some ideas about which to think. How would you complete the following sentence? "One good thing about working at (your organization) is

Tip 35 : Create an Employee Retention Council When managers focus their attention on a specific aspect of their organization, it generally experiences noticeable improvement. Retention is no exception, and one way you can emphasize it is to develop an Employee Retention Council.

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Retention is not a department specific activity. It is an organizational issue and needs a comprehensive and coordinated approach from all others in the company, Production, Finance, Business Development, marketing- all the departments impacted by its adverse affects. This is a group that meets regularly to discuss ways to improve employee retention. The council can consist of fellow managers and supervisors within your organization, business associates with similar concerns, experts and advisors, counselors and college faculty, and even your own boss

Tip 36 : Recognize Employee Birthdays

Many people believe their birthday is a special day. Numerous tips here are suggested to help your department develop a "family" of co-workers. Your employee family can recognize the birthdays of its members by providing a birthday card, having a birthday party or providing some other form of recognition.

Tip 37 : Make Daily "Howdy" Rounds

Effective managers do not just talk to employees when making assignments and when disciplining them for mistakes. Daily "howdy" rounds can allow managers to talk briefly with their employees about issues not necessarily specific to the job. Employees can also be asked for specific suggestions about how you can better assist them with on-job related activities. Another suggestion: ask staff members what you are doing that hinders them from more effective work performance! You cannot identify problems unless you are aware of them, and this Tip may provide useful information to identifying issues that should be addressed. Lastly we will discuss no and low-cost tips that can be used to help improve employee motivation levels and decrease turnover rates. We will review two final strategies: creating a friendly workplace and helping your employees succeed.

Strategy 7: Create a Friendly Workplace

Tip 38 : Use Employee Recognition Programs

Employee recognition programs allow staff members to be publicly and/or privately praised. There may or may not be a monetary reward given as part of the recognition. For many staff members, oral recognition for a job well done is as effective a motivator as a cash reward, which is often associated with incentive programs.

Excerpts from 50 one Minutes Tips for Retaining Employees Naresh Taneja 12/16

Recognition letters, announcements on bulletin boards, plaques and special recognition pins are additional ways managers can let their employees know their accomplishments are recognized and that their work is valued.

Tip 39 : Build a Great Team and Praise It Often

The best attract the best because everyone wants to be associated with a winner. Members of winning teams want to be the best at what they do. If managers allow continued poor performance by an employee, they communicate to the rest of the staff that it is okay if the team is not as good as it can be. Good managers will, of course, help poorly performing staff members because they are committed to coaching and training which is critical to having a winning team. To retain your star players, assure that all new employees know they have joined a successful team and then treat them like the professionals they will become.

Tip 40: Write a Personal Letter to Parents of Younger Employees Parents worry a lot about young children who have left homes to work for the first time. Tell them about the work their children are doing in your company, how you are taking care of them at work etc. It can take a lot of anxiety from their minds and consequently from your younger employees worrying about assuaging their parents worries. Parents also want to be proud of their children. A letter from you to the parent(s) of your young employees can be beneficial to both you and your young employees. First, it helps to assure the parent(s) that their son or daughter is working for a reputable, professional, and concerned employer who has the best interests of their child at heart. Second, it helps develop an unofficial alliance between you and the parent(s), who can help provide guidance when work-related issues arise, such as not showing up for assigned shifts, working only partial shifts, or seeking other employment. A Parental Letter Checklist When writing your letter to parents of employees, consider incorporating the following points: Your appreciation that their child has joined your business team A pledge to provide the young employee with the proper orientation and training needed to help achieve success on the job Your interest in providing the youthful employee with additional training, which will identify and help prepare them for career opportunities with your organization and/or industry and beyond An interesting, job-related anecdote in which the teenager performed effectively and achieved an early success An offer to serve as a mentor to help the young worker with any job-related questions or issues Your willingness to talk with the parent(s) at any time about the young worker's jobrelated performance or any other matters affecting employment

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Tip 41 : Share Scheduling Responsibilities with Employees

Work shift schedules can be a problem for some employees. Can employees be allowed to participate in all or part of the scheduling process? Can they be involved in a scheduling process where they can request to work (or not to work) specific time slots in a way that is viewed fair by the entire team? By involving employees in the scheduling process, managers can increase their employees commitment to the schedule and to the department. Ask employees to help build a fair scheduling system; they are likely to welcome the opportunity.

Tip 42 : Reward Employees Who Work on Non-Scheduled Days

When employees must work on days scheduled off, treat them special. Recognition, rewards and extra benefits are among the ways to thank these workers. By rewarding dedicated employees who work on scheduled days off, you will be more likely to keep your best staff members. Also, dont always request the same employees to work an extra shift just because they always succumb or because someone else always declines. Even with rewards, overworked employees may begin to feel you are taking advantage of them.

Tip 43 : Invite Family Members of New Employees to Visit the Workplace

Regardless of whether new employees are young or older, they may have family members who are interested in their new positions. Invite spouses and family members to visit the company/Department, and let them know how pleased you are to have the new employee working in your Department/company. All employees want to be proud of what they do, and their familys opinion of their work and workplace is important. This Tip can be a meaningful part of your retention efforts.

Tip 44 : Make the Workplace Fun Someone once defined work as "any activity that isn't fun." It doesn't have to be that way, and it shouldn't be. For today's employees of all ages, fun at work can be a tremendous attraction. Of course, the tasks for which your team is responsible must be completed; however, having some fun at work is both possible and desirable. Why not ask your staff members what you can do to make the workplace more enjoyable? They may have great ideas that do not affect productivity and positively affect their attitudes. Work in your department need not be boring. If it is, then it is your job to change the situation. Simply ask your employees what you can do now to make your workplace more enjoyable. What a great way to find out what motivates them! They may have great ideas that do not negatively affect productivity, and do positively affect their attitudes. Implement the best ideas. Also, talk to fellow managers and learn what activities they use to spark enjoyment in their workplace.

Excerpts from 50 one Minutes Tips for Retaining Employees Naresh Taneja 14/16

Strategy 8: Help Your Employees Succeed

Tip 45: Identify State-Approved (Licensed) Childcare Options /Open Crche facilities in the company A lack of consistently dependable or high-quality childcare is a frequent reason for employee absences and worry and stress on the job. Some employees will have access to friends, family members, or other dependable sources of childcare. Unfortunately, other employees will not. "Good" employees must also be "good" parents; what would you do if faced with the choice of going to work as scheduled or providing care for your children? As an employer, you can help your employees avoid this dilemma, which creates a win-win situation for everyone and helps to ensure that a good employee will stay on the job.

Tip 46 : Reward Success in Each Employee

When employees are asked why they quit a job, the answer is often, "No one cared about me or the work I was doing." Satisfaction at work is a powerful motivator. Unfortunately, in some entrylevel jobs, the work is routine and repetitive and it may not be possible to restructure a job otherwise. In nearly all entry-level jobs, however, you can help create a motivating environment. Almost every employee can demonstrate success in some area, and these strengths provide the key to the recognition you can give employees. If you have a worker with excellent attendance, make sure that he or she knows you appreciate this dedication. If another worker is especially good at customer service, compliment him or her on that trait. Your attention to employee success will pay off with improved employee self-esteem and retention. Make sure that none of your employees can ever say that they left your company because "No one cared about the work I was doing."

Tip 47 : Recognize Your Employees Elder Care Responsibilities

Many employees must care for elderly relatives. The parents of the baby boom generation are living longer than any generation before them. It is estimated that between 15% and 25% of all U.S. households contain elderly parents or friends for whom eldercare must be provided. Therefore, it is increasingly likely that part of your workforce must care for elderly relatives. These circumstances create special needs that you should recognize and address. Employees who are responsible for elderly relatives need flexible work schedules that enable them to provide adequate care. You can assist them by accommodating their schedules whenever possible and by identifying programs and organizations in your area that can provide help. Just as childcare programs are important to some of your younger employees, so are eldercare programs important for older workers. Help employees with eldercare responsibilities to

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balance their family obligations with the demands of their jobs; you'll improve your retention rate in the process.

Tip 48 : Dont Punish Your Best for Being Good

When managers assign more work to their best employees as opposed to their lesser-performing counterparts, problems can arise. Many managers give assignments, such as training a new employee or working on a special project, to their best employees. This makes sense; they know these staff members will do the work without complaint and do it well. Unfortunately, these added responsibilities can be viewed by the best employees as a punishment. They may think that their contributions are being rewarded with extra work not required of their subordinates. Why should one want to be a superior employee if the only reward for the behavior is extra work? The best employees should be given some recognition and rewards for the special work they do.

Tip 49 : Go To Lunch

There is always a daily opportunity to learn more about employees and their work environment : lunch. Try to take employees out to lunch if possible , or join them and sit with them in a common area (if work schedules dont permit this, try breakfast or dinner.). The goal for sharing a meal is simple: in a relaxed and informal setting, find out what is pleasing and what is troubling your best and brightest employees, and then address any issues they raise. The meal experience should be used as a listening opportunity. Listeningnot talkingis the best way to determine which corrective actions, if any, are necessary.

Tip 50 : Help Employees Learn About Public Transportation Systems

Some entry-level staff members may have a hard time getting to work for various reasons. Some may not have cars and public transportation routes may not be known. Some staff members may want/need to use public transportation occasionally, while others may be required to use it all the time. You can make it easy for your staff members by helping them learn about the availability of public transportation to/from your company.

Summary

These tips, hopefully, have provided practical ideas to help you improve the morale of entry-level employees and increase their retention rates. The tips presented were just a few of the (seemingly) innumerable ones that can create an organizational culture of respect for your employees. As this occurs, morale levels will increase, turnover rates will decrease, and your department will be more likely to attain its goals.

Excerpts from 50 one Minutes Tips for Retaining Employees Naresh Taneja 16/16