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Another Best-Seller by Mark Holmes: "Wooing Customers Back - How To Give Great Service and Increase Your Own Success"
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Dallas Morning News Feature:
Managers May Lack Traits Staffers Value
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MEDIA CALLS: 417-848-6560; 800-841-8540 Email: info@thepeoplekeeper.com
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News Releases:
Want Them to Stay? It Takes More Than Pay! "The People Keeper"
Shows How To Attract, Motivate And Retain Better Employees
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Story Angles:
- Story Angle: Clueless, Boss?
Learning that so many good employees are discontent may come as a surprise to most bosses who remain clueless. Contrary to popular belief, money is rarely the reason that employees leave. The number one reason employees quit their jobs is dissatisfaction with their boss. In a recent survey by Career Engine, some 20 percent of employees surveyed talked behind their boss's back; 5 percent scream at the boss; and 3 percent admit to spitting in his coffee. Such disgust is no laughing matter, but it does illustrate just how frustrated some disgruntled employees can be with their boss. (Source: New Man, Jan/Feb., 2001.) - Story Angle: Brain Surgery?
Keeping better employees isn't as mysterious or complicated as many might believe. Employees have been telling us for a long time that they want someone to take an interest in them. Spending a little time learning about your employee's goals and job interests, or asking questions about job satisfaction or dissatisfaction can head off problems before they start. Intervention is the key to minimizing employee turnover with less stress in a job market that's short on qualified workers in most industries. And when the economy surges ahead again, the talent shortfall will only be exacerbated. Who will barely notice? Companies that make themselves First-Choice Employers and People Keepers. How can managers increase job satisfaction through intervention? - Story Angle: Should Work Be Fun?
Why not? But whether a job will be fulfilling and rewarding has a lot to do with the manager's attitude toward work and the workplace. If he's uptight, controlling, negative and critical - bank on the fact that workers will be miserable. Many will leave. On the other hand, if he creates a positive culture, is self-controlled under stress, encouraging and truly cares about his workers then the work can be fun and those workers will be more productive and committed. Take the true story of a leading manufacturer whose workers quit and walked across the street to pluck chickens. Just so they could leave the grasps of an unappreciative employer and bosses. How can managers make work more meaningful and fun - - and retain more motivated, loyal employees? How can fun with a purpose be inculcated into the workplace? - Story Angle: Killing Employees With Kindness
Teachers and moms are quick to point out the virtue of kindness towardothers. Seems like a little dose of that would go a long way in leaner but meaner companies. Especially in today's tightened labor market for talent, a boss who treats his team with niceness (doesn't mean you're a softie) is really wise. Why? Good people won't stay around an uncaring, lousy boss for long. Being caring will rate much higher in employee's minds than either the reputation that a leader possesses, or the raise that they promise. - Story Angle: It's The Relationship Stupid!
With unemployment at a 30 year low, employers are scrambling to get an edge in attracting and keeping better employees. But misplaced strategies and retention programs end up retaining the very employees you hoped would leave, and loses the employees you wanted to keep. For example, throwing money at the problem won't create loyalty - pay won't make them stay. For most employees it's the relationship that they have with their boss that counts most. If the working relationship is strained they have more stress and less job satisfaction. Work anxiety takes its toll over time and pushes the better performers out the door packing their talents with them. How can managers show employees that they really matter? What are the keys to developing positive working relations? - Story Angle: Family-Friendly?
What does being family-friendly mean? It can vary from one employee to the next. For some, family friendly is having the flexibility in a work schedule to go see your daughter's recital without repercussions. For others it's empowering them to have more control over their work schedule so that they can pursue some personal interests outside the office. The point is, the more reasons you can give a valued employee for staying the more likely they will remain loyal. You can also provide incentives like added days off, rewards, or monetary incentives that benefit the employee's family. Some companies give theme park tickets, gift certificates or loans to give employees reasons to stay. How can companies be more family-friendly?
Backgrounder On The Subject:
- Bosses realize that they have to do more than pay good salaries and lavish perks on their employees if they want to keep them. They also have to be nice to them. (Source: The New York Times, May 31, 2000.)
- The American worker today, although not fully in the drivers seat when it comes to his fate in the job market, is nonetheless doing more of the driving. (Source: American Demographics, September, 2000.)
- Companies now face the most competitive job market in decades, losing workers can savage a bottom line. Knowing how to retain top people in this challenging environment can be a real competitive advantage. (Source: Fortune Magazine, May 29, 2000.)
- By 2006, there will be 151 million jobs, but only 141 million people to fill those jobs. (Source: The US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.)
- Job turnover is soaring. Departures have increased at small companies (fewer than 250 employees), turnover increased from .9 percent per month to 1.2 percent. (Source: Survey by BNA, Inc. as reported in morebusiness.com, September 12, 2000.)
- With great people you can do anything. It takes bravery to pay people what they deserve. (Source: Center for Retailing Studies, Texas A&M University, January 2000.)
- Retaining young workers isn't hard if you know what to do. (Source: Employee Recruitment & Retention, visit: www.ragan.com for related articles.)
- Survey of Teenager Job Satisfaction. Survey probes the role of managers in a teenager's job satisfaction and morale. Findings correlated to best practices and intervention solutions needed to improve retention. (Source: Mark Holmes, results available from the 05/01 survey by 06/01/01 on www.thepeoplekeeper.com.)
- For a study on managerial attitudes toward why people leave, and the contrasting importance of money versus other retention factors in the decisions of employees who do leave: Harvard Management Update, June 1998; HR/OD, December 1998.
Possible Interview Questions:
- Who make the best managers today, women or men?
- What strategies work the best at keeping the best employees?
- How can the ordinary (boring) company make the workplace more fun and rewarding?
- What do employees want most from employers in job enhancements, benefits and training?
- If you have a sensitive budget what can you do to compete for talent?
- Is it true that rewards and praise can salve a lagging salary? What are some of the most creative, effective ideas you've seen for rewarding employees? Biggest blunders (you've got to hear the famed "jelly bean" fiasco!)
- Explain the concept of "First-Choice Employer" and why you contend that any company in any part of the country can greatly improve the quality of employees that they attract?
- Can managers really "motivate" employees? If so, what are some of the best ways and how much do they cost?
- Why is the "cost" of turnover so high (as much as 200 percent of a person's salary and benefits)? What is the real cost of losing a great employee? What do you mean by intellectual capital?
- What do "People Keepers" do every day?
- How do you prevent ambitious employees from plateauing too quickly?
- Why is it so important to measure employee job satisfaction? What should you ask employees to tell you? What do you do once you have the results from such surveys - how do you go about improving the workplace?
Author Bio:
Mark Holmes has served thousands of leaders and professionals at successful small businesses and multinational corporations for the past 15 years.
Holmes is the president of Consultant Board, Inc., which assists organizations and individuals in improving performance with customers, strengthening employee retention, and increasing teamwork, communication and leadership. His ideas on employee motivation and organizational performance have been utilized in such corporations as Chick-fil-A, Rhone-Poulenc, Dow Corning Wright, Cisco Systems, ServiceMaster (Clean), Tracker Marine, and successful family owned businesses like Hammons Products Company and Silver Dollar City.
He is the author of the popular books The People Keeper and Wooing Customers Back. He has been interviewed by over 150 radio stations in the U.S. and Canada on customer service and employee performance topics.
Holmes has addressed corporations and professional associations in over 25 industries. He began speaking professionally at 21, doing leadership and teamwork talks around the country while getting his B.B.A. degree in marketing from the University of Texas.
He is a member of the National Speakers Association and The Institute of Management Consultants. An entrepreneur at heart, he has owned several successful businesses including a marketing company and a talk radio station, where he hosted the Good Morning Success show. He lives in the Ozarks of southwest Missouri with his wife Jeanna and their children -- Jaclyn and Jonathan. Holmes also devotes his time to a ministry he started called Future Men In Training, meeting monthly with fathers and sons.
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Request Press Kit Or Interview:
Request Press Kit: Email matt@intrapromote.com or call 503.246.1375
Author Interviews: Email mark@thepeoplekeeper.com or call 800.841.8540
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Free Articles by The Author:
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Read Sample Chapter:
Chapter 6 -- The Third Tenet: Give Praise and Reward
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More About The Book:
The People Keeper
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Book Cover (72dpi jpg)
Author (250dpi 1000 x 1250px jpg)
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