Engagement

A great article appeared from MediaPost yesterday (In the Online Spin from Cory Treffiletti) about the agency of the future- and the people behind it.

We all know the current economic situation is still tough (but getting better according to some). Many companies have cut significant numbers of staff. In some cases, this has led to the existing staff becoming overworked, tired, and not too happy with those they report in to. Many agencies have high churn rates and a high degree of employee dissatisfaction. Many have lost sight of what is important to their business- strategy. Instead, they are all about execution. Simply put, retention is going to be the biggest issue facing agencies in the future.

I know you may be looking at me quizzically- why all the talk about agencies? Think about your own company and experience. 30 years ago a job was a life path. You worked at one place, advancing along the way. You got the corner desk, the gold watch, pension, a lamp- everything.

Jump ahead.

Now, an employee feels disposable. Their morale is sapped and all they are looking for is the next higher paying gig that will help them buy their house, pay for a new car etc. Companies have laid so many people off, in some very crass ways and they, in turn, have lost all trust from their employees.

And the cycle continues.

Sitting at your desk this morning have a think (especially if you're a manager). How do you retain your top people? How do you get that degree of trust from them that has been squashed? Here are some ideas-

• Recognition is a good start (all it takes to say is "nice job.").
• Fridays at 4.45, take a few minutes and see what your team is doing on the weekend.
• Most importantly- fix the small problems internally that are within your control.

As I said in an earlier post, face to face communication yields a more productive team. As a manager, you lead from the front- take care of your people and they will repay you with the best gift- they will stay.