You need to have someone at your organization who is in charge of preventing turnover. Let's take this a step further... There are people who are really important to your firm, who would be difficult to replace. Have you identified them? Have whoever is in charge of preventing talent flight sit down with department managers and supervisors to identify the people you should keep. Then have each of them prepare an actual plan to prevent those employees from leaving. Think: what's is it going to take to assure that this person will stay with us? Obviously, you must know what motivates that individual. If you don't know, you need to ask them. Pay attention to those key motivators, and be sure you are doing what it takes to retain your best people.
You might be thinking, what about the b.m.w.'s (bare minimum workers) who feel they are being ignored? That's good! Maybe the b.m.w.'s will get the hint and move on.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Friday, March 9, 2007
Motivating Those BMW's
In my seminars I use the phrase BMW's to describe those bare minimum workers or those who are unmotivated. They are close to retirement and become masters of the minimal. They have been on the job for twenty plus years, and won't advance in position or salary, and they feel they have accomplished everything they can. They do just enough to get by. You would be hard pressed to terminate them because you have been giving them satisfactory reviews for years, and it would only create legal problems. What can you do about it?
Try making them a mentor to a new, young employee. This could give them a spark, and they may be flattered with the new responsibility and feel very important. I have seen people really come alive when they become a mentor, and they give it their all. You may want to ask them to assist in classroom training in some areas, as long as they have the communication and interpersonal skills. Also, try putting aside their regular duties, and give them special projects with a bonus incentive. If all else fails, sit down with them, and explain to them that you are concerned about their last years at the company, and want to be sure they are productive and happy. Ask them, what kind of work would they like to do more of that would give them job satisfaction.
Try making them a mentor to a new, young employee. This could give them a spark, and they may be flattered with the new responsibility and feel very important. I have seen people really come alive when they become a mentor, and they give it their all. You may want to ask them to assist in classroom training in some areas, as long as they have the communication and interpersonal skills. Also, try putting aside their regular duties, and give them special projects with a bonus incentive. If all else fails, sit down with them, and explain to them that you are concerned about their last years at the company, and want to be sure they are productive and happy. Ask them, what kind of work would they like to do more of that would give them job satisfaction.
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