Retention
-
Speaking from the employee side...Being shown appreciation and respect is important. You have to actually show it not just feel it. Employees can't read minds for the most part. Having opportunity for advancement. Honesty. Being caught in a lie time and time again will do a manager much harm. Actually standing up for you employees will gain you a lot of respect. Sometimes the manager needs to manage his manager because that is the person causing people to leave. That's what happened to me at my last employer. My immediate supervisor did a great job but his supervisor was a tyrant.
They hired two replacements to fill three openings and are still searching for another. Well, make that two because one of the replacements quit after a week.
Respect, appreciation, honesty, opportunity, fairness. Before acting, managers should stop and ask themselves what they would think if their supervisor did what they were about to do.
-
I once interviewed for a job where the tech lead actually told me that he considers people who have jumped several jobs over as many years more valuable because it indicates to him:
1) You have varied experience -
2) You are able to get hired by different companies - with different management styles, work ethics et al
3) You are not afraid to go "out there" and look for better positions when you're bored with the current one.
Coming from the "old school" which believed in being a dedicated "company man/woman" until death do you part - this was a novel and (almost) shocking idea to me....however, there is some sense in what he said...
I know many (& I mean MANY) people who are dissatisfied with their jobs (no JOB SATISFACTION ;-0) who'll continue to be company slaves because they want to hold on to the "known and familiar" however much of a drudgery it is rather than venture forth and attempt something new...
Coming to Retention...I've yet to work for a company where other than the usual rah-rah speeches of "our employees are our priority" - "you are our most valuable asset" etc.. where when it comes to the crunch...meaning if your project comes to an end and they don't immediately have another that you are qualified for, they bid you adieu rather than train you for something else -
As they say - it takes two to tango - so if the company doesn't value you once your job is one - hasta la vista to you too!
I know I've rambled - but Steve - this is one of those topics where people are never short of words/opinions....
**ASCII stupid question, get a stupid ANSI !!!** -
Re: vacation time
I work for a state government agency in the U.S. and my vacation time accrues monthly. Currently, I get the equivalent of 4.4 weeks per year plus 11 holidays per year. It may not be as much as European employees, but at least I can take it when I want.
Greg
Greg
-
One area that needs to be addressed is how layoffs are conducted. I work for a good company and was very satisfied untill one day they had to lay off some people because of financial shortages. They informed the people of the layoff when they arrived in the morning and had them pack up their things and were escorted out the door.
I know HR recommends this method to avoid revenge sabbatoge, but these were trustworthy people. This had a very negative effect on my moral and I immediately started looking for another job. I just couldn't take the chance that I might be next. I think it is a mistake to expect loyality from employees when layoffs are treated this way.
Dave
-
Agreed! At a place I recently worked (name withheld to protect the VERY guilty), management absolutely exuded the "you can be replaced" attitude. People were treated as objects, and management refused to ever negotiate anything, totally ignoring factors like ramp-up time for new employees. As a result, during my nine months there the company had almost 40% turnover (this is a 150-person company!) From what I was told by the few longtime employees who were there, that wasn't uncommon... Note that all of the longtime employees were H1B sponsored. Imported slave labor, anyone?
--
Adam Machanic
whoisactive -
Dave,
I have to admit, it's hard to expect employee loyalty when it's known finances are getting tighter and tighter. I've been the employee in a situation like that. For a few pay periods we were taking bets as to who's paycheck would bounce...
Something that might have helped management out in the situation you mentioned is (after letting the employees know about their termination) to try and help them get a head start on looking for another job, including a written reference. Management can still follow the HR guideline by removing the employees from their workstation immediately, but this way the employee doesn't feel like they are being kicked to the curb and forgotten. As a side bonus, they are more likely to talk about the company in a positive light even years later - which might mean increased sales, or additional business opportunities in a (very) long run.
-
Companies can rely on imported slave labor so they treat you like dirt - employees know that if they lose this job then there are either zillions of "slaves" ready & willing to replace you or that the project can simply get "outsourced"....so what's the solution ?!?!
I came across a cartoon a few months ago where a dad is holding an open notebook and is telling his daughter who is standing next to him looking downcast - "If I've told you once, I've told you a million times Amelia Jane - you CANNOT outsource your homework to India...."
**ASCII stupid question, get a stupid ANSI !!!** -
I just want to clarify, in case I gave the wrong impression: The H1B people are only "slaves" because they're afraid that if they lose their job they won't be able to stay in the US. So whereas an American employee will leave after getting a 1% raise (average at that company was 2%, and that wonderfully huge amount was only given to employees based on number of hours worked per week), these people will stay anyway -- or at least, take longer to leave. A lot fewer companies are willing to host now than a few years ago.
--
Adam Machanic
whoisactive -
We didn't think you meant slaves in a bad way... we all know what it is to be "forced" to keep a job. Not the best feeling in the world.
-
Jamie Thomson asked: "What do US workers get in terms of public holidays?"
How about zero.
I'm consulting right now, 3 months with a probability of renewing (said 3 months is up in 2 weeks). I was out sick for two days this week, so my next check is going to be $400 lighter. If there's a holiday, unless I VPN from home, it's -$200.
The company does provide vacation, but you have to be with them for 2 or 3 years, and THAT is the point that it starts accruing! Sweet deal for them, they advertise what is in essence a useless benefit. Yes, some consultants stay with a single firm that long, but I'd bet money that most don't.
-----
[font="Arial"]Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves or we know where we can find information upon it. --Samuel Johnson[/font] -
If you need a consultant for that long, you need to permanently hire him... or at least give a 18 months contract. There's no point in doing it in 3 months shots.
-
There was a time that one was hired for life, 100% coverage for benefits and employee skill upgrades.
A corporations personality might help but eventually all other types of employment will, and should, be stacked up against 'job for life'.
Personally though I work so that I can stop way before I pass on. I create though to live, I'm lucky that I've the skillset and drive to do both.
Enough of my philospohical musings... have a great weekend everyone.
-
Actually when you are consulting as a "freelance" things are very different you plan your vacations, you look for your own clients and you get usually a better deal in terms of $ but On the other side you have to cover your own benefits and at te pace things are moving is starting to get really difficult to stay like that and it is making more sense to work for a (stable) large company
* Noel -
Ya.. gives something to dream about and keep learning more about sql server... Maybe it's gonna be my turn someday
.
Viewing 15 posts - 31 through 45 (of 50 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply