How to keep your employees around for the long haul

A recent Gallup poll of more than one million U.S. workers revealed that the number one reason people leave a job is because of a bad manager or leader. Most of the time, it had nothing to do with the leader’s personality, which begs the question of what are employees really looking for from a leader? The question can be difficult to answer because the workplace is constantly evolving and what it takes to motivate, inspire and meet the needs of vastly different personalities and age-groups can be all over the map. However, there is a general understanding of what most people look for in a leader. A recent study conducted by psychologist Edward Deci showed that managers who offered meaningful feedback, provided options for how to complete tasks and gave encouragement created higher job satisfaction and performance. Another study involving 100,000 people conducted by the O.C. Tanner Institute and HealthStream (HSTM) concluded that 79 percent of employees who quit their jobs cited a lack of appreciation as a key reason for leaving. Not surprisingly, those with the highest morale at work agreed that their managers were effective at recognizing them. Recent data from Gallup’s “State of the American Workforce” stated that leaders who focus on creating opportunities for employees to thrive and give them motivation and a compelling purpose are the strongest factors for retaining any employee regardless of age. In addition, opportunities to learn and grow was an important element for the Millennials and Generation X, while having a supervisor who cares was a strong influence for Baby Boomers. This shows how younger generations have changed from a survival mode to a self-actualization mode as defined on Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs. One thing is clear, what employees look for in a great leader is always changing. Although, different generations want different things from a leader, the majority of employees can agree that working in an environment where they can grow, be appreciated, motivated and have a strong compelling purpose are the most important elements in good leadership. Source: The Evolution Of The Manager…And What It Means For You, David Sturt and Todd Nordstrom, September 11, 2014, Forbes.]]>