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Career Expert Offers 10 Tips for Staff Retention in the New Year

MENLO PARK, CA -- Employers may have a common resolution in mind as the new year approaches: keeping top performers on board. As we begin to come out of a difficult recession, many companies recognize that their most valued employees will be presented with other opportunities.

It's clear that potential employee turnover is a concern for many chief information officers (CIOs) heading into the new year: 43 percent of 1,400 CIOs recently interviewed for a Robert Half Technology survey said retaining existing workers will be their number-one staffing priority in 2010.

“Technology teams, in particular, are experiencing rising workloads as businesses move forward with projects previously put on hold,” said Dave Willmer, executive director of Robert Half Technology. “Employers need to focus on preventing burnout and keeping their best people engaged at work. This may be a challenge, given that staffing cuts and the reduction or elimination of benefits have left many employees feeling overworked and undervalued.”

Willmer added that retention efforts will be paramount to curbing turnover, which often can lead to disruptions in workflow due to lengthy hiring times and new employee training. “Companies may have to work at ‘re-selling’ themselves to existing employees in much the same way they would when promoting themselves to prospective hires.”

Willmer offers the following 10 tips for retaining your top performers:

1. Re-recruit your best workers. Talk with employees about what might enhance their job satisfaction and remind them of the unique benefits provided by your company. Emphasize what your firm has to offer, whether it’s a great corporate culture, solid financial standing or strong industry reputation.
2. Invest in professional development. One in five (21 percent) CIOs polled for the Robert Half Technology survey said they plan to offer more training and professional development for their staff in 2010. Online learning opportunities, mentoring programs and tuition reimbursement are all good options.
3. Provide opportunities for career advancement. Structure positions so employees can grow their careers without leaving your firm. Offer promotions to workers who have demonstrated they can succeed at the next level.
4. Recognize excellence. It seems obvious, but a simple “thank you” and public acknowledgement of your staff’s contributions will strengthen their loyalty.
5. Communicate regularly with staff. Maintain an open-door policy year-round. Workers want to hear about company news, in good times and bad.
6. Provide project support. Employees who have lost coworkers to layoffs are, in many cases, now doubling down. If hiring is not an option, consider bringing in project professionals to help alleviate workloads.
7. Encourage more team-building activities. No doubt, many companies have cut back on employee perks, but an occasional group activity, such as a trip to the movies or an offsite lunch, can make them feel more appreciated.
8. Consider compensation. While not all firms can offer employees increased salaries, there may be potential for spot bonuses at the end of a major project or team accomplishment.
9. Promote work/life balance. Give staff members the option to follow a flexible schedule or telecommute one day a week. It doesn’t cost anything to implement these changes and workers will appreciate the leeway.
10. Evaluate workloads. While every project may seem like a priority, there are likely some that can take a backseat to more pressing matters.

About the Survey
The national survey was developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis, and conducted by an independent research firm. The survey is based on more than 1,400 telephone interviews with CIOs from a random sample of U.S. companies with 100 or more employees. In order for the survey to be statistically representative, the sample was stratified by geographic region, industry and number of employees. The results were then weighted to reflect the proper proportions of the number of employees within each region. The margin of error for this study is +/- 2.6 percent at the 95 percent level of confidence.

About Robert Half Technology
With more than 100 locations worldwide, Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of technology professionals for initiatives ranging from web development and multiplatform systems integration to network security and technical support. Robert Half Technology offers online job search services at www.rht.com.