Retain Top Talent
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Retain Top Talent
Hiring top talent is only the start. Now you have to work hard to keep your very best talent. Most companies stink at structured and systematic retention of their top performers. Discover how to prevent turnover and keep your best people.
Curated by Barry Deutsch
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How to manage employee anxiety during coronavirus pandemic

How to manage employee anxiety during coronavirus pandemic | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
Workers are looking to their company leaders for guidance in these very uncertain and challenging times.
Barry Deutsch's insight:

Good reminder about the stress and anxiety your employees are suffering and how to listen, show you care, and demonstrate  empathy. I like to the family channel idea on Slack and the idea of laying out an employment plan to your workforce to reduce the stress of whether they will have a job in 2 weeks.

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Covid-19: business continuity depends on culture | theHRD

Covid-19: business continuity depends on culture | theHRD | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
this isn’t a coronavirus story; it’s a future of work story.
Barry Deutsch's insight:

Here's the quote that struck me hard from the article:

 

"This isn’t a coronavirus story; it’s a future of work story."

 

The author indicates that by focusing on technology to improve how we communicate (video conferencing, reward tracking, performance tools, chat tools like Slack or Yammer, and project management tools) along with fixing the culture - you can have a dramatic impact on the success of your organization.

 

Are we using this forced change in work to look at as a silver lining that prompts us to re-evaluate how we communicate, engage, disrupt, and continually improve and strengthen the organization?

 

OR are we so limited in our imagination that all we're hoping for is to pick up where we left off in mid-March?

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Working From Home During Covid-19

Working From Home During Covid-19 | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
     As the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic has escalated, businesses are trying to be proactive with their employee and customers’ hea...
Barry Deutsch's insight:

Here are some good tips for employees about how to work at home - especially for those for which this is a new experience. I'm finding most of my clients are NOT providing coaching and resources to help their employees be more effective as a remote worker. The assumption is just work the same as you did in the office - nothing could be further from the truth. Your employees desperately crave your guidance, coaching , and support in how to be productive and successful while working from home.

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4 Ways Employee Engagement Can Solve Productivity Problem | HR Technologist

4 Ways Employee Engagement Can Solve Productivity Problem | HR Technologist | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
Across the world, employee engagement has flatlined. In many developed countries, productivity is stagnating
Barry Deutsch's insight:

A couple of key points came to me in reading this article. First, are you linking metrics of employee engagement to work results/outputs?

 

Secondly, are you trashing your annual performance appraisal process to make performance management more relevant by doing it on a structured monthly basis?

 

Two key points about improving performance management. Most companies are still stuck in a 1970ish model of sadistic annual performance evaluations and no relevance to employee engagement.

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Why In-House Employee Recognition Programs Don't Work

Why In-House Employee Recognition Programs Don't Work | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
A look at why in-house employee recognition programs fail, and the potential solutions...
Barry Deutsch's insight:

Here's a contrarian view of why self-run internal employee recognition programs fail. Granted, the authors are biased since they are recommending their software SaaS model. However, I've see an extraordinary explosion in some very good SaaS apps for companies to more effectively manage employee engagement - apps for tracking success factors, projects, recognition programs, employee satisfaction, and many others.

 

Is now a good time to look at some of these app-based tools as many of your team members are remote?

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How Working from Home Will Forever Change Office Culture

How Working from Home Will Forever Change Office Culture | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
Work culture expert and author Jody Thompson offers advice on managing a remote workforce....
Barry Deutsch's insight:

In this interesting article on the new normal of working from home, the author talks about a few elements of improving that process.

 

I particularly liked "if individuals and teams are clear on the results, then they can choose the most effective and efficient means to achieve measurable outcomes. Let your employees know what is needed and when so they can work efficiently and effectively."

 

As you know, this idea of defining success through the organization - whether it's the business objectives for key executives of a key executive or the KPIs for a field tech - this is something that gets amplified in a work at home environment.

 

I'm recommending as the NUMBER ONE best practice in having people work from home in my Managing Remotely in a Crisis Webinar that companies focus on defining and communicating expectations clearly and precisely (in written form), and then structure their entire management process around it for feedback, recognition, learning, and coaching.

 

If you can move the needle on defining success in the next 3 months, you'll go a long way toward improving productivity, efficiency, effectiveness, and flawless execution.

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The Remote Life: Navigating the Work From Home Culture | Oracle HCM Blog

The Remote Life: Navigating the Work From Home Culture | Oracle HCM Blog | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
Working remote for the first time? Here are some tips from a veteran.
Barry Deutsch's insight:

I'm starting to conduct deep research on the process of managing a remote remotely. This article addresses a couple of issues many companies and remote workers are facing - the security issues around connecting to corporate networks through consumer home wifi routers, and how to carve out an effective home work space.

 

Now that I've done about 25 webinars for Vistage groups and members on How to Manage Remotely in a Crisis - a pattern of the most common issues facing companies are beginning to emerge. I'll share some of the best practices I've discovered from my clients in this space to overcome these issues.

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New Study Reveals 4 Trends That Are Affecting the Happiness of Your Employees

New Study Reveals 4 Trends That Are Affecting the Happiness of Your Employees | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
It appears the problem may start at the top.
Barry Deutsch's insight:

Interesting recent survey research on employee engagement. Take note of the very low percentage of employees who believe their CEO has a vision for the organization.

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Job Crafting: Inspiring Employees to Creatively Take Initiative, Boosting Employee Engagement in the Process

Job Crafting: Inspiring Employees to Creatively Take Initiative, Boosting Employee Engagement in the Process | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
Job crafting—the process by which employees take on tasks outside their defined role—helps your company innovate and boost employee engagement.
Barry Deutsch's insight:

This is a great time to engage your employees in a discussion of crafting their job with goals, outcomes, deliverables, expectations, and KPIs that take advantage of their strengths. Have you started to have these conversations with your subordinates?

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How To Be A Rockstar Manager by Cultivating Employee Engagement

How To Be A Rockstar Manager by Cultivating Employee Engagement | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
by: Brandon Currie, Training Specialist What does an engaged employee look like?  Involved, committed, passionate, and empowered, demonstrating those feelings in their work behavior. Employee engagement is a predictor of positive business outcomes, such as profitability, increased job performance,...
Barry Deutsch's insight:

Some good ideas to think about when managing your remote team. I especially like the water cooler time/chat and coffee break ideas that many of my clients are implementing to replace the casual conversation that naturally takes place in the office.

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Why Great Employees Leave “Great Cultures”

Why Great Employees Leave “Great Cultures” | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
“We have a great culture.” We have all heard it. We have all said it. But what does that mean? Ping-Pong tables, free meals, and beer on tap? No.
Barry Deutsch's insight:

Good summary on issues related to culture, including observation of executives and managers in the execution of values. Perhaps, most importantly was the comment  about employees wanting to know what's expected of them - which is now amplified exponentially given that most of the work force is at home "out of sight/out of mind".

 

Fear and uncertainty will cause your best performers to leave your organization - they'll find jobs instantly no matter what is happening in the economy. You'll be left with average and mediocre employees unless you being to start taking action now on your culture.

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8 Ways Employee Happiness Can Impact Your Customer's Experience

8 Ways Employee Happiness Can Impact Your Customer's Experience | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
When we measure happiness, we're measuring 8 different components in the employee’s experience to determine how they might impact your customer experience.
Barry Deutsch's insight:

There are 3 main areas that authors focus on in terms of an employee's experience: employee engagement, employee happiness, and employee satisfaction. All of these can impact customer satisfaction.

 

Many authors use these terms with overlapping definitions. 

 

As a summary statement, there is a lot of overlap between the ideas. For example, this author talks about creating a positive work environment - this can affect engagement, happiness, and satisfaction. 

 

For me, the bigger question is how do we measure the investment in retention or engagement tactics - is it through productivity KPIs, attendence, turnover, structured feedback from employee or customer surveys?

 

We know we should have a non-monetary reward/recognition system - but how do we determine if it is meeting our needs? What's the metric, measurement process, reporting, and action steps/milestones along the path of making improvements?

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Jack Welch's Masterclass On Employee Engagement: 'In a Business, There Are Two Measurements That Count'

Jack Welch's Masterclass On Employee Engagement: 'In a Business, There Are Two Measurements That Count' | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
Jack Welch, the legendary chief executive who transformed General Electric into one of the most successful companies of the last century during his tenure died today according to media reports. He was 84.
Barry Deutsch's insight:

Good summary in Chief Executive Magazine by Jack Welch regarding his two primary areas of focus - employee engagement and customer satisfaction - both of which are intimately linked.

 

He talks about helping employees understand what's expected, where the vision is/where you're headed, what their impact will be on it, and what it means to them personally.

 

I find most companies fall short in this level of communication below the executive level. Very few employees understand what's expected, where the company is headed, what their specific role/impact is in that vision, and how it translates to something personal for them. Without this communication and training managers how to do it frequently - most companies fail to achieve decent levels of engagement and consequently suffer on customer satisfaction - and the related financial metrics.

Barry Deutsch's curator insight, March 8, 2020 2:44 PM

Good summary in Chief Executive Magazine by Jack Welch regarding his two primary areas of focus - employee engagement and customer satisfaction - both of which are intimately linked.

 

He talks about helping employees understand what's expected, where the vision is/where you're headed, what their impact will be on it, and what it means to them personally.

 

I find most companies fall short in this level of communication below the executive level. Very few employees understand what's expected, where the company is headed, what their specific role/impact is in that vision, and how it translates to something personal for them. Without this communication and training managers how to do it frequently - most companies fail to achieve decent levels of engagement and consequently suffer on customer satisfaction - and the related financial metrics.

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How to Set Your Virtual Employees Up For Success

How to Set Your Virtual Employees Up For Success | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
Virtual employees and teams often fail because of lack of engagement and miscommunication.
Barry Deutsch's insight:

Here's the quote that got me (wish I had some real metrics or quantification on this issue):

 

Virtual employees and teams often fail because of lack of engagement and miscommunication.

 

Are you improving right now how your employees and teams are engaging and communicating in all directions - up/down/sideways and with internal and external customer teams?

 

OR are you paralyzed by fear and inaction allowing your competitors who are making positive changes to leap ahead of you.

 

One of my current programs that I'm teaching, a 60-90 minute webinar on Managing Remotely in a Crisis, primarly for Vistage Groups and Members, has taken off like a rocket. Most organizations are frantically searching for solutions on how to improve the way in which employees and teams are working remotely. It's the new normal. It's fresh ground. None of us have ever experience this before. What are the best practices?

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The keys to managing the business curve of COVID-19

The keys to managing the business curve of COVID-19 | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
To manage the business curve of COVID-19, start by understanding the three phases of this crisis: Panic and Disruption, Fear and Isolation, and Recovery and the New Normal.
Barry Deutsch's insight:

Interesting article laying out 3 phases your employees are going to experience during the Corona Virus Crisis. Are we still in the phase of panic and disruption? Or have we moved yet to Fear and Isolation?

 

My perception of speaking with almost 500 Vistage CEOs in my webinars on Managing Remotely in a Crisis over the past 3 weeks is that most companies are way behind the 8 ball in moving forward. There is panic, desperation, confusion, and uncertainity. Many CEOs are paralyzed by what is happening and have not yet laid out a plan to their workforce for the next 3-6 months.

 

How do we use these phases to engage our employees, and quickly return to an effective and productive organization that continues to build and strengthen their culture?

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11 of the Most Enlightening Employee Engagement Statistics

11 of the Most Enlightening Employee Engagement Statistics | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
Why is employee engagement important? Here are 11 statistics that show why increased employee engagement has significant business impact.
Barry Deutsch's insight:

Positively scary statistics about employee engagement. I've been preaching these issues for about a decade.

 

Unfortunately, most companies have ignored me. Everyone has been too busy being reactive during the last decade of economic expansion. We're too busy to work on things that are important, but are not urgent.

 

Now we're reached a point where it is urgent also. As we emerge in 6-12 months from the current recession, will you emerge stronger and retain your best people - or will you try to pick up where you left off and potentially lose some of your best talent. Fixing these organizational/cultural issues are critical if you want to build a stronger organization.

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How to Make Self-Evaluations Part of Your Performance Review Process

How to Make Self-Evaluations Part of Your Performance Review Process | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
Self-evaluations give employees a voice in their performance review. Learn the advantages they bring to your appraisals and how you can make employee self-reviews part of your organization's performance management process.
Barry Deutsch's insight:

Self-Evaluations by employees of their performance should be one of the pillars of your performance management process. Here are some ideas from a recent article on how to build self-evaluations into the process. Even if this is already part of your process, it might serve as a great review/assessment.

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How to Set Your Virtual Employees Up For Success

How to Set Your Virtual Employees Up For Success | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
Tips on how to make virtual employees feel involved by making the most use out of technology, office visits, and engaging them in company culture.
Barry Deutsch's insight:

Some good ideas about working remotely and understanding the different personality type styles so that managers can be more effective in managing vs. applying a "one approach" fits everyone mentality.

 

Is now the time to improve the sensitivity and awareness of your management team to how people want to manage and what they need in terms of feedback and communication?

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Build a Culture That Aligns with People’s Values

Build a Culture That Aligns with People’s Values | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
It’ll improve retention and recruitment efforts.
Barry Deutsch's insight:

Good article in HBR. One of the key points I'm stressing in my workshop on Managing Remotely in a Crisis is that now is great time to be working on elements of your culture and aligning your purpose with who each employee matters.

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Now What? Communicating in the Weird, New Organizational Normal •

Now What? Communicating in the Weird, New Organizational Normal • | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
Communication professionals need strategies and tools for building trust, creating structure and protecting brands, while keeping up with a very fluid situation.
Barry Deutsch's insight:

Sometimes we overlook simple things in managing people - especially remotely. This article references numerous studies that show employees want information from the CEO and direct manager. I'm finding in my workshops on managing remotely for Vistage groups and member companies that the number one element is weak communication.

 

I really liked the recommendation in this article about front line managers building other rituals and structures with their teams to improve the sharing of information, fun and team building, and overall interaction.

 

Most people feel alone, isolated, and separated at home - how can you help them feel like they are part of the organization and that they matter?

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Three Steps to a Culture of Feedback and Recognition: Part 2

Three Steps to a Culture of Feedback and Recognition: Part 2 | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
Truly having a feedback-rich culture can differentiate an organization when it comes to candidate attraction and employee retention.
Barry Deutsch's insight:

Would you rate your organization as being "feedback-rich?" If not, are you running the risk of losing good people, low engagement scores, a lack of productivity, and difficulty in attracting rockstars?

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Remote Work in Times of Crisis: 3 Threats to Employee Engagement

Remote Work in Times of Crisis: 3 Threats to Employee Engagement | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
Did you know that the number of remote workers has grown by 140% since 2005? That’s what data from Global Workplace Analytics indicate. Now consider this: 80% of employees reported they’d be more loyal if they had more flexible work options, such as working from home.
Barry Deutsch's insight:

One of the biggest issues surfacing in my webinars on how to manage employees remotely is communication = how much, when, what channels. Here are some ideas/thoughts around improving communication with your team working from home.

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Why Employee Recognition Programs Fail

Why Employee Recognition Programs Fail | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
Acknowledging your employee’s hard work is crucial to a smooth-running workplace. However, if it isn’t implemented correctly, a company can quickly see its workforce losing productivity. Why recognition is important Employee recognition is the acknowledgment of an individual’s or team’s effort or...
Barry Deutsch's insight:

A few core thoughts on how to structure an effective employee recognition program and some of the pitfalls to avoid to prevent failure. It's particularly important in working with remote workers to have a good recognition/reward program.

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Ideas for Creating a Sense of Culture, Community Amid Social Distancing and Work-From-Home Mandates

Ideas for Creating a Sense of Culture, Community Amid Social Distancing and Work-From-Home Mandates | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
Here are some examples of Zoom virtual events/ideas centered around culture & community that you can bring to your organization while you work from home.
Barry Deutsch's insight:

Some good ideas from the Zoom blog about the problems and issues around culture when everyone is working from home. Have you tried some of these ideas yet?

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81% Of Unhappy Employees Fake Happiness At Work—Here’s How To Find Fulfillment

81% Of Unhappy Employees Fake Happiness At Work—Here’s How To Find Fulfillment | Retain Top Talent | Scoop.it
I'm giving you a lot to think about here because these statistics on employees faking happiness at work are pretty compelling....
Barry Deutsch's insight:

If 81% of unhappy employees fake happiness and 50-70% are not engaged/unhappy at work - that's a big problem. When mainstream publications like Forbes start to highlight this as an issue - executives should sit up and take notice before it's too late.

 

In my retention workshop, one of the biggest frustrations executives mention is a concern of a lack of working hard, productivity, and effort. Duh - you're not seeing it because so many of your employees are not engaged and are unhappy.

 

The big question is: what's your action plan to fix it?

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