The secret to keeping your staff

Any manager of any business knows that holding on to good people, particularly in the midst of the Florida Keys housing crisis has never been so dire. How do we get good people to stay with our businesses when there are so many options out there? Is the secret more pay? More perks? Better insurance? Of course, all of those things matter, and they definitely help. In actuality, however, it’s not the secret to keeping good people.

If you are a manager or business owner, you should know this: A Gallup Poll from 2023, which included responses from more than 67,000 U.S. workers, showed that the No. 1 reason people leave their jobs is because they aren’t happy with their managers or leaders. That same survey found that the most effective way to make someone feel connected to an organization is to have a “meaningful” conversation every week with each direct report to discuss goals, customers and well-being as well as offer recognition. The recommended time to allot for each conversation: 15 to 30 minutes. (See CNN article April 24, 2023, Low Employee Engagement?)