Imagine--you have been working late to finish an important project when your project manager walks into your office and tells you she has been offered a better job. As she turns to depart she says, “There are others thinking about leaving too.”
What went wrong? How are you going to finish this assignment? Who will be next to leave? The dread is starting to sink in. Surveys show one out of every three people plan on quitting their jobs this year. Smith states, “Most employee turnover issues can be prevented.” He adds, "Many organizations are not doing what they need to do to retain their best and brightest."
International business consultant and author Gregory P. Smith is making waves as one of the nation’s top employee retention experts. His new book, 401 Proven Ways to Retain Your Best Employees, provides practical solutions to promote high employee retention in the workplace.
Executives say employee retention is one of the top issues keeping them up at night. There is a growing shortage of skilled workers. On one end of the workforce, the Baby Boomer generation is retiring leaving fewer skilled people to choose from. On the other end, a smaller group of younger workers is entering the workforce who is more concerned about their free time than the needs of the employers. The average tenure of a 20-something is only 16 months creating a swinging door and a cycle of misery for employers.
Few businesses realize how much employee turnover costs their organization. It takes $7,000 - $17,000 to replace a typical employee; to replace a key manager costs the same as buying a Lexus. To replace a critical care nurse can run up to $185,000. And when a top talented individual in a key role departs, it can run into the millions. Unless businesses take steps to retain their employees, we could face losing our competitive edge with other countries.
401 Proven Ways to Retain Your Best Employees provides a wealth of information, tips, advice, and case studies that allow for quick reference and practical application. Smith has spent 10 years interviewing and researching best practices that lead to high retention. Smith says, “It is a great tool for managers who don’t have time to read dozens of books on theory. It is all here in one small book.”
Greg Smith is the CEO and founder of Chart Your Course International, a performance management consulting firm located in Atlanta, GA. Smith has provided advice to many of the “Top 100 Best Places to Work” and served as an advisor to the U.S. Army Surgeon General. His message is international as he has traveled to and worked with businesses in 22 countries. He is a former Examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, which is awarded each year by the President of the United States. He also was selected by the Human Resource Executive Magazine as one of the nation's "Top-Ten Rising Stars" in Human Resource Management. He has authored eight books including Here Today, Here Tomorrow: Transforming Your Workforce from High-Turnover to High-Retention. When Greg is not working, he loves to sail and raise orchids. His book is available on http://www.401provenways.comand www.Amazon.com
