Great quote that is. Selling Power provided it in their article Re-Recruiting and Retention. The gist of the article deals with keeping your top performers when they have been recruited from your company. The article lists some suggested goals you can gather by conducting exit interviews:
– Eliminate the barriers to retention that were mentioned in surveys of ex-employees.
– Identify essential, “can’t operate without” employees and thank each one of them (often).
– Upgrade personal performance contracts, paying special attention to the problem areas identified.
– Provide extra compensation and rewards. (Pacetta suggests establishing a recruiting and retaining fund for this purpose.)
– Ask each of your essential employees to come to you immediately if another firm approaches them.
– Make a personal commitment to keep your essential employees €“ especially when they attempt to leave €“ it will raise the stakes for you as well as put the recruiting company at a disadvantage.
I’m of two minds when it comes to salespeople who give their notice. First off, they have crossed a bridge from which it is difficult to return. Normally, the return involves paying the salesperson more money while wondering if they are going to be swayed by the next employment overture. Expectations are now raised and the sales manager may get an itchy trigger finger when it comes to the salesperson’s performance.
Also, I’m highly skeptical that asking employees to come to you “immediately” if they are approached about another opportunity. I’ve worked in plenty of companies where a recruiter reached me. I always listened to what they had to say and never, ever, told my boss about the call. Maybe it is just me, but I think I am in the majority on this one.
The main point I gather from the above list is that you need to pay attention to your employees. Communicate with them on a regular basis. Make sure your compensation plan is inline with the market. Give them accolades when they deserve them.
Simple, yes, but successful retention is not a grand scheme of epic actions. Instead, it is a daily commitment to doing the little things right.