1. FINDERS, KEEPERS: Getting your stars to stay
According to recent Department of Labor statics, the average tenure of an employee in the U.S. is now only 1.5 years. Why do they leave? One study showed that 89% of managers think it’s because of pay.
They were ill-matched to begin with: post-hire shock
They don’t feel part of the big picture
Stress and work/life imbalance
They’re not cared about personally
Unrelated personal reasons
Employment is treated as a transaction rather than a relationship
IF WE KNOW THE ANSWERS, WHY IS IT SO HARD TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM? PROBABLY BECAUSE WE DON’T ADDRESS IT DELIBERATELY

2. EVERYDAY CHOICES
How do the choices stack up in your organization?

3. BASIC ASSUMPTIONS You made a good hire Your pay is competitive
Your benefits are appropriate
Your worksite’s not a dump (unless it is)
PAY
A simple pay structure
Record every ask
Don’t make false promises
BENEFITS
Find a broker who will do the heavy lifting
Have appropriate benefits grow with the organization
ENVIRONMENT
Make it as inviting as you can afford to do
TOOLS AND RESOURCES
Do and improve what you can afford to do
If you have to make choices, ask your employees what’s most important
CLEAR GOALS AND POLICIES
This is critical
Make them visible

4. GET YOUR HEAD(S) TOGETHER
OPERATIONS
CULTURE
You are building simultaneously and we must build deliberately
Our business plan should have a culture and retention plan
Objections:
I don’t have time
I need to make money
I don’t like that soft stuff
I’ll do it later when we’re stable
Some remedies:
Have someone else help us
Go away and do it all at once
Assign champions
Steal great ideas

5. BUILD A CULTURE THAT WORKS
LEADERSHIP – Managing the future
TRUST & RESPECT – We are all “me” centered; go for the heart
COMMUNICATON – Full, frequent, transparent
ACHIEVEMENT – Humans want to accomplish something
RESULTS – We’re fueled by positive outcomes
SO WHAT WORKS?

6. ARTICULATE YOUR VISION in a way that is meaningful to others
WHAT’S YOUR WHY?
You are marketing to your employees, not just your customers.
How will the world benefit from having you in it doing what you’re doing?

7. WHAT’S YOUR WHY?
What
How
Why
WHAT’S YOUR WHY? This is where loyalty (buy-in) lives. It is different that pursuit of the result. People do what they believe.
Apple: we believe in thinking differently
Wright Brothers: change the world
MLK:I have a dream (not a plan) 250,000 (25% white)
You are marketing to your employees, not just your customers.
Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action (

8. A CULTURE OF TRUST Trust takes years to build, seconds to break and forever to repair
Talk straight
Demonstrate respect
Create transparency
Right wrongs
Show loyalty
Deliver results
Get better
Confront reality
Be accountable
Listen first
Keep commitments
Extend trust to others
Build these things into your values
FranklinCovey: 13 behaviors of high trust people

9. ‘NUFF SAID WE ARE ALL COMMUNICATING, WHETHER OR NOT DELIBERATELY
TELLING’S NOT NECESSARILY COMMUNICATING
Tell me why to do
Tell me how to do it
Tell me why it’s important
Tell me when it’s not working
Tell me how to fix it
Tell me when I’ve succeeded
Tell me where I stand
Tell me how I can progress
Tell me what you’re thinking
When in meetings?
When in writing?
When person to person?
When by broadcast?
In pictures?

10. SHOW ME WHY MY JOB IS IMPORTANT AND MEANINGFUL
Their extensive research shows that there is a direct correlation between how employees rate that one question and employee retention, customer metrics, productivity, and profitability. Gallup concludes that “The best workplaces give their employees a sense of purpose, help them feel they belong, and enable them to make a difference.”
Connect me to the big picture
Connect me to the market
Connect me to the customer
Connect me to other employees
Connect me to you

11. GIMME SOME SPACE Face reality, especially among generations.
Coach me, don’t micromanage me
Autonomy is a key desire. And there is a business case for its importance. (4 times more growth)
Set parameters, then give me control over everything you can.
If the downside’s minimal, let it go
Distinguish between the WHAT and the HOW
At the very least let them make or participate in peripheral decisions
Rein in bossy supervisors and other bullies
Celebrate new ideas and methods

12. WHAT GAME DESIGNERS KNOWVS
Why does gaming work?
You get immediate and continuous feedback
It’s fun
You have stretch goals
You have accomplishments
You share goals with others

13. CELEBRATE ACHIEVEMENTS
Why does gaming work?
Ways to celebrate and reward:

14. LET’S HAVE SOME FUN
Ways to have fun: