Keen basketball fans may have seen NBA superstar Kevin Durant has agreed to sign with the Golden State Warriors for the next two years. Closer to home, we have seen the Blues’ attempt to entice Beauden Barrett away from the Hurricanes and Sonny Bill Williams switch from team to team and sport to sport as the mood takes him.
In business, as in sport, your best team members will always be sought by others and they will generally have a range of options open to them should they ever wish to leave.
A question we get asked is what can be done to stop employees from being poached or from looking for greener pastures once they are in post. With the current skills shortage across the globe this is likely to be a growing challenge for many employers.
This is where good employment practices come into their own and despite the fads and theorists that come and go the underlying principles remain the same. These include:
- Regular communication of goals and objectives for the business so that staff are clear on direction and what is expected of them;
- Timely and regular feedback being provided to staff on their performance so they know where they are performing well and where any improvements might be needed;
- Opportunities being provided to staff so they continue to develop and progress in their roles no matter how long they have been with you;
- Ensuring pay and benefits are regularly reviewed to ensure they are fair and competitive and that they recognise different levels of performance;
- Having clear procedures and dealing with any issues in a timely way;
- Continuing to work on culture so that company values are maintained or where necessary altered to meet changing needs
All of these principles and practices are best supported with tools and/or procedures that are tailored to your business or organisation. If you would like to review your current employment practices, or support in developing strategies and procedures that are tailored to your business contact a member of the Grow HR team.