Any entrepreneur worth her salt will know that employees are the foundation of the company. Their performance will determine whether the business flourishes or collapses. Accordingly, employee retention is an integral factor of a good business model. If you do not want to see your employees leave, there are a few steps that you can take.

1 - Be Thorough In The Hiring Process
It might sound odd, but employee retention actually begins during the hiring process. While there may be times to give somebody with only a little experience in the industry a chance, that does not mean that the employer should be reckless. If somebody is not a good fit for a position, she might leave the company or be terminated. The entrepreneur who wants to retain her employees will need to hire the right people. This can be accomplished through behavioral testing, competency assessments, or simply doing due diligence in surveying the candidate's background and references.

2 - Recognize A Job Well Done
Dead-end careers are often characterized by a lack of recognition. Nobody gives them credit for anything that they do. Psychologically, many people need some sort of positive reinforcement to remain motivated. If they do not get this reinforcement, it could cause skilled employees to look elsewhere. This can be combatted by implementing employee programs for recognition.

A simple recognition program would be an Employee of The Month award. Another would be a bonus a promotion. Even if an employee is not the recipient of these awards, she will still see that it is possible to go somewhere with her career at this company.

3 - Listen To Their Insight
In the daily grind, employees might pick up some insight that management might have overlooked because of their perspective. One of the common mistakes employers will make is to ignore that insight. But if an employee offers a suggestion at a company meeting and sees it implemented, she will feel like she is contributing something. If her suggestion is not spot on, perhaps it can be slightly adjusted and then implemented. In that case, management could still give her credit for the idea.

4 - Encourage Social Bonding
This will also help to generate an atmosphere compatible with team-work. If the people at work are merely acquaintances, employees might not feel chemistry with them and will not work as well together. But if they are friends, that will be different. When people have close bonds at work, they are are less likely to seek new employment. Management can help to facilitate this by taking the entire crew out for dinner after work. They can arrange social parties. Let the employees get to know one another.

5 - Let Employees Balance Their Lives
One's career is certainly important. But family is important too. Employers need to sympathize with the struggle to balance work and family. If an employee needs to get off a few minutes early to make it to her child's soccer practice, that should be enabled. Soccer practice is important to parents. If it is possible, a general policy of flexible scheduling should be the norm.

Another point to keep in mind is that the mental state of an employee will contribute to her performance. If she is happy, she will perform better at work. If she is not, she might start wondering if the reason for that is her career. Employers should attempt to enable happiness and strong family bonds.

The employer and employee relationship is a give-and-take relationship. If the employer is willing to make sacrifices, she will see better job performances and employee retention.