Don’t Forget the Plates and Forks!

A friend of ours had an unpleasant surprise at his office Christmas party a couple of months ago. The evening affair consisted of a few snack platters. The problem was, there were sushi platters but no chopsticks, lunchmeat trays but no rolls, cheese wheels but no serving knives, and no plates, napkins, or eating utensils for employees and their invited guests! My friend felt uncared for, as if his boss had mindlessly thrown the party together at the last minute. He was a bit embarrassed to have invited his dressed-up girlfriend to such a fiasco.

This true story is a great reminder to reevaluate how you are treating your employees. How do your employees perceive that you are treating them? We’ve talked a lot in the past about ways to hang on to your best workers, such as starting them off right with a performance acceleration tool, conducting regular performance reviews, giving extra training to develop your employees’ skills, and offering recognition, rewards, and incentives unique to your company’s culture.

More than ever, retaining your best employees is a growing challenge. We recently heard from Staffing Industry Analysts that 57% of U.S. workers plan to seek new jobs in 2014. 48% of respondents to a Korn Ferry survey said their motive for job hunting would be more money, while 21% want the change for career advancement.

No one is immune to these statistics. One of our own talented Amtec employees just gave her notice. She received a job offer in her previous field of employment, with similar flexibility but greater earning potential. While we’ll lose out on our investment in her training, our response was to wish her well and say, “You’ve got to do what’s best for you and your family.”

No matter how many perks or incentive programs you offer your employees, the best thing you can do is to have open, regular communication with them. Know their names, really listen, be aware of what’s going on in their space, show you care, and equip them to succeed and grow.

Oh, and if you throw a party with food, remember to provide the plates and forks!

Do you worry about making a hiring mistake because you might’ve missed something important in the interview process? Successfully interviewing candidates is crucial to making a confident hiring decision. But to gather all the information you need to consistently compare every candidate, you must have an interview process that works. Join hiring experts Stephanie Navasu and Ryan Mann to learn how to prepare to interview candidates, conduct interviews, and take next steps towards making a great hire! Click here to register for our webinar, Building a Strong Interview Process to Make the Best Hire on February 27, 2014, from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. PST.

By Marcianne Kuethen