How to Stop People Leaving Your Organisation

Hi
Why are people changing jobs so quickly these days?

Here are a few reasons why:

1. They have a boring job therefore they feel they are not achieving anything.


2. They have no leader to follow.


3. They feel unappreciated.


4. They work long hours and want a life.

The above reasons are not taken from any figures or facts stated in publications and general media. This is what the people themselves tell me. They are the words from the coal face, real people…managers, personal assistants, administrative staff, sales people; regular run-of-the mill people.
It's really interesting to see how easy it is to retain your people by being amongst other things, being
F L E X I B L E.

Where is the Family Friendly Workplace?
One of my clients - John - who is a manager in a large organisation - was telling me that his wife Mary, an accountant recently changed jobs, from working part-time in a suburban practice to full-time in the city. She did this as a career move as she couldn't find stimulating work part-time in suburbia. (I'm sure many women can relate to that).

Having two kids - 7 and 4, she leaves for work when they're still asleep in the morning and arrives home around 6.30 p.m. at night. Luckily her husband works locally and can handle the morning care and has his in-laws do the afternoon care. His wife is already feeling stressed , tired and guilty because she cannot be around for her kids. How easy would it be for an employer to offer more flexibility say 3 days a week start at 10.00 a.m., 3 afternoons finish at 4.00 p.m. Mary wouldn't mind a cut in her pay packet - she just wants to balance her life.

At this rate, Mary will not remain too long with her current employer as she will find the long hours will take their toll. It's even harder for the single parents. Not to mention the long-term effect it has on the person and their kids. A grumpy, tired and stressed person doesn't make for a good productive employee or parent.

Think Laterally
Why isn't there more flexibility in the workplace? Just because people 'start' at 9.00 a.m. and 'finish' at 5.00 p.m. (I know some of you work longer hours), doesn't mean people actually work.

In fact 80% of the day is generally non-productive. Write down how much time is wasted in non-productive meetings, having chats with your colleagues, being distracted and interrupted constantly. If you work in a noisy open plan office you'd be even less effective.

Try keeping a time sheet, listing what you have done each day for a full working week and you will be amazed where you spend your time.

My Former Life
Eighteen years ago I was a postie, starting work at 6.00 a.m. each day. It was a great job. In fact it was the longest job I had held - 3 years. I left when I was 6 months pregnant with my first child.

As a postie, the quicker you worked, the sooner you went home. As soon as the mail was sorted you would go out on your round, do the deliveries come back and go home. Now that was an incentive to work as quickly as possible.

In the '9 - 5' workplace you have to be present and yet there's no incentive to actually work as quickly or productively as you can.

The Solutions
For the Employee
If work is getting too much for you to handle and the hours are getting you down,speak to someone who'll listen, offer some realistic solutions. There's no harm in asking. If they won't listen it's up to you to choose whether to stay or go.

For the Employer
Ask your people how they really feel and work out a solution. Just because they haven't told you about their concerns doesn't mean that everything's fine.

Don't turn a blind eye. They will leave your organisation eventually and if that person is someone who does a good job, not only will you lose them but all that time and money you've invested in them.

PS As soon as you become a manager, your key role is to manage people.  This is a skill that needs to be learned and continually developed… and if you are prepared to invest time and money into being an effective manager you will enjoy the benefits of your efforts.  If you really need some help, or want to take your management skills to the next level, check out the book “How to be a Masterful Manager”. This instantly downloadable book has heaps of practical, easy-to-implement ideas to accelerate your leadership abilities and to help you be the best manager you can be.

Lorraine Pirihi is Australia's No. 1 Productivity Coach.  She's also a dynamic presenter and a leading business and life coach. Her business The Office Organiser specialises in showing small business owners and managers, how to get organised at work so they can have a life! Lorraine is also a dynamic speaker and has produced many products including "How to Survive and Thrive at Work!"

To subscribe to her free ezine visit www.office-organiser.com.au

This article may be reproduced providing it is published in it's entirety, including the author's bio and all links. For further information please contact Lorraine Pirihi.