Retention Dimensions 2023 - The Comprehension Dimension
RETENTION DIMENSIONS 2023
Retention Dimension #4: THE COMPREHENSION DIMENSION
How Can I Get an Accurate Picture of My Employees’ Engagement Drivers and Retention Risk Factors?
In case you missed the first four parts of my Retention Dimensions series, be sure to catch up about the status of the Great Resignation in 2023 and steps you can take to ensure your best employees stick around. In part 5, we’ll move on to the fifth dimension - The Comprehension Dimension.
Why do we ask great questions in exit interviews yet neglect to ask earlier when we can make a difference?
The best leaders do ask. They ask early and often. They listen carefully to the answers. And they collaborate with their talented people to help them get more of what they want, right where they are. Two decades ago, we coined the term “Stay Interview” to describe this conversation. We even wrote a book about it! Yet, when I suggested to clients that they ask employees about their goals, their talents, their fears, and their development needs, many looked at me with a blank stare. They simply didn’t know how to ask the questions. They wanted me to give them the words! They wanted me to provide them with a script, a cheat sheet. So, I did.
Here are a few examples. You can get an accurate picture of employee career goals and retention risk factors by asking questions like the ones below. Which of these are you willing to ask your employees?
If these questions make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, welcome to the “manager-on-the-spot” club! Most members of this club don’t ask these questions because they fear one of two responses: a request for a raise or promotion, or just anything they may not be able to deliver. What then?
The next time a talented employee asks for something you think you might not be able to give, respond by using these four steps:
Restate how much you value the employee.
Tell the truth about the obstacles you face in granting the requests.
Show you care enough to look into the request and to stand up for the employee.
Ask, “What else?” Since you are not able to meet their request, find something you can provide that will fill other needs or desires.
These conversations can, obviously, but challenging at times, especially when you cannot give them what they ask for. But if you don’t have the conversation, and you don’t find out what will keep them, you may very well lose them. Hey! You can always do an exit interview! Ouch!
THE ACTION DIMENSION:
This week, schedule 20 minutes with your most valued employees and ask them one of the questions we provided. Listen with curiosity and care. If you are not sure you can provide what they ask for, mull it over and come back with a counter offer. If your offer doesn’t hit the mark, then have a dialogue to find what might make this a better place to stay. More often then you think, a little attention and effort can go a long way in getting them to want to stay.