Retaining Talented Employees

Jill McDermott

Chief Executive Officer

Trade Press Media Group

Jill recently spoke to a MediaGrowth gathering about retaining talented professionals. Offering evidence that company culture may be the deciding factor that keeps many employees in place, she quoted the wisdom that, “People don’t leave companies.  People leave people.”

With all the adjustments of the past years, employees are making known their desire to engage in work and life situations that are meaningful and satisfying to them.  Therefore, when reevaluating their job descriptions, pay scales, benefits and starting bonuses, companies also need to:

  - Listen to employees and be able to suggest career paths that motivate them.
  - Recognize that the business will continue to change and that up-skilling is 

     essential.
  - Cross train regularly and give employees opportunities to try new

     responsibilities and gain job security as well.
  - Cross train to identify leadership skills and to protect the company during

     inevitable times of work force attrition.
  - Over-communicate and practice transparency.
  - Create opportunities for connection in town hall meetings, weekly team and

     interteam “huddles”, contests and fun gatherings. 
  - Consider forming a social committee for planning times to connect the entire

     team.
  - Put people first, praise publicly, set up a Kudos Bulletin Board, write old-

     fashion Thank You notes