Page 69 - Retaining Top Employees

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Envisioning Your Retention Strategy 57

Target Employee Main Opera- Summary Suggested Retention
How Identified
or Group tional Impact Interview Data Goals
R&D Scientists Discussion with Loss of The project is all. Keep team together until
Grade VII VP R&D (dream institutional Enjoy working end of this project, about
diary) knowledge together as a team. 16 months. Tactical Note:
(”Why are you Establish next project
staying?” and Entry) well in advance.
Senior Tax Large Dissatisfied Our senior Fully staffed department
Managers expenditures clients. partners are (12 people) with
last year on young-limited employee turnover of
recruiting and promotion less than 25%, within two
training (follow opportunity (all years. Tactical Note: Can
the money) interviews used) we create a new form of
limited partner?
Greg Doitall, Constant If Greg leaves, Enjoys the job, but Keep Greg until at least
Assistant to the reminders from the CEO’s lacks feedback and fall next year (end of
CEO CEO (squeaky productivity will praise. (“Why are Project XYZ). Tactical
wheel) drop sharply. you staying?” and Note: CEO needs some
Exit – previous coaching.
incumbent)
In-House Attorney Haven’t had one Bottleneck at We have a Redesign position to
for six months. product reputation for enable recruitment
(obvious gap) certification doing a poor job completion within six
stage. on legal front. months. Tactical Note:
Unrewarding Extend responsibilities to
work. (Exit and include corporate
“Why didn’t you take counsel.
the job?”)
Figure 3-2. Table for setting retention goals

❏ For each key retention group, clarify reasons for wanting
to retain them.
❏ With each group, use interviews (entry, exit, “Why didn’t
you take the job?” and “Why are you staying?”) to ascertain
what you need to do to retain the employees in that group.
❏ Make the interviews independent and confidential for best
results.
❏ Use the information you’ve collected to establish clear,
quantifiable retention goals for each group of employees.
❏ Note any retention tactics that emerge during the data col-
lection process, but don’t feel under pressure to map out
the “whole campaign” at this stage.