High-performing employees are your company’s biggest asset. A high performer can deliver 400% more productivity than the average performer. When you hire a self-driven, goal-oriented, motivated employee, your job doesn’t end there. You need to be sure you are engaging your top-performing employees who go above and beyond for your organization. They’re efficient, productive, and good for your bottom line, thanks to referrals and reduced turnover.
So what is the key to keeping high-performing employees loyal to your organization?
For starters, you need to locate qualified candidates who fit well with your culture. A trusted recruitment partner can help you map out a successful recruitment strategy. You need to then think through the experience you’re offering them. Here are six tactics that a smart manager can do to minimize the chances of losing their best employees.
Keep them engaged and involved
One reason these employees excel is that they’re smart and curious–they are always looking for a new task or project to excel at. They don’t want to sit at their desk all day twiddling their thumbs waiting for the clock to hit five. Keep your star employees engaged by providing them with a constant stream of interesting assignments and projects. Need some new ideas for your business development process? Looking for new ways to promote your organization via social media? Offer your high performers the assignment.
Understand what motivates them
When dealing with high-performing employees, it can be a little too easy to assume they don’t need you because they are self-motivated. While this can be true, you need to make sure as a manager you understand what drives them so you can give them the occasional nudge of motivation.
Star employees respond differently to motivation tactics. Some may thrive on positive feedback, while others thrive on a level of autonomy. The only way you’ll truly understand what drives your top talent is to take the time to get to know them. Schedule bi-weekly one-on-ones to meet and actively listen to their thoughts on projects, co-workers, and anything else they wish to share. This will give you the opportunity to understand your employee and enable you to have a more thoughtful approach to motivation.
Opportunities for personal/professional growth
Have regular career discussions with employees. Make certain to ask about their long-term goals and help them identify assignments and opportunities that move them along the path toward those goals. One obvious route is through providing tuition or reimbursement for continuing education classes, workshops, or seminars. Once they’ve identified their passions, let them focus on the projects and skills they enjoy.
Keep your top talent updated on the career development plans you have in store for them. Let them know of any opportunities within the company that will help them take on new levels of responsibility. Supporting someone’s development efforts is a great way to show respect for them and earn their trust and support.
Give them independence
A quick way to lose a top performer is an overly controlling boss. High performers have the knowledge and drive to get things done. Micromanagement will only frustrate these employees and possibly drive them away. Work with your talented employees to set goals and deadlines and trust them to come to you when their tasks are done. Give them the freedom they deserve so they can continue to prove themselves as an outstanding worker.
Provide competitive salaries
Use salaries and base benefits as a starting point, and build meaningful benefits on top of them. While a manager’s hands may be tied when it comes to how much money they can pay, schedule flexibility and work environment can often help fill the gap.
Recognize great results
Everyone wants to be recognized when they do something good for their organization, and your best employees are no different. Give them the recognition and visibility they deserve by inviting them to give presentations to your board, lead high-profile teams or participate in management offsite meetings. Encourage them to make connections with other high performers in your organization and to work on important projects together–and then invite them to present the results to your executive team. Top employees will often say in exit interviews they never really felt appreciated. Praise is cheap, use it lavishly.
High performers are the greatest value to your business and to your customers, so it will pay off to actively take steps to ensure you keep them happy and engaged so you can retain them. Are you ready to add top talent to your team? Our recruiters are ready to help you with your hiring needs whether that be contingency, retained, or executive.
