It is sad that employers and their managers take an employee’s departing, so lightly. The sad thing is that the impersonal attitudes of these employers and their managers take, fails to see what is going out the door. It is also a testament to the businesses lack of awareness, when a former employee goes out to find a new job. These employers are of a philosophy that “Since you would not stay here, no one is going to take you.” I have witnessed employers and their managers, on the phone or at conferences, talk badly about an employee. The better the employee’s work record, the worse that employee would be defamed, in the face of a new or prospective employer.

(Supposedly, this is Illegal! And if the new employer cares about the employee, there should be a policy for them to not only tell you, but also allow you resources to seek damages. Yes, I am talking about going after that old employer for violation of labor laws. )_

Back at the business, when asked about where so and so went to; Managers will all too often comment that Employees come and they go. This statement is being made so arrogantly, and the fact that they lost an Asset, not a Liability, is shoved under the proverbial carpet. You see, When an employee leaves, he/she takes with him/her the talents they were hired for. Also, they take any new talents your business taught them. The business owner, all too often fail to realize that loss of talent can also mean losses in their clientele.

Communication or lack thereof, is the root to most Evil in businesses. Too many employees feel like they can not openly communicate disdainful issues, without reprisals from the management. They have normally been faced with comments like; “It’s my way or the Highway!” or like “If you do not like this, then do not let the door hit you on the way out!. These attitudes towards employee concerns, start the push employees towards the door.

Communication and returning communications with employees, are important tools. E-mail, text messages, notes and other non-personal communication is not good enough. Neither is the employee finding out about praise, second hand or through the “grape-vine.” Direct conversations regarding issues that directly affect the status of an employee, is most desirable. Direct communications, are personal and directed to discuss issues brought to the management team and therefore should be answered in person.

I fail to see, where a company or it’s management will be harmed by asking for an employee to stay when they find he/she is looking elsewhere. Look, Keeping an employee whom has addressed some issues, which need to be addressed eventually. Failure to simply ask the employee to stay, can costs associated to hire and train an employee who is qualified, is expensive. With down time, training time, processing time, and costs of insurances and production slowing down costs associated with a new employee far exceeds revitalizing the older, more familiar relationship.

Once, while sitting on a board of managers whom were interviewing prospective employee candidates, I was amazed when one person came in and asked about the turn over rate. Seems that this individual had an inside informant whom had misinformed our candidate. When it came to being asked, as to why he directed himself into this question. His response was something like this:

“I asked the question based on a question you asked earlier in this interview. I feel if you have a high “turn-over rate” you are not someone I want to work with. It tells me that employees are not appreciated.” He further stated; “Turn over rate’s indicate that managers are insecure and too narrow minded, to care about the average employee. Furthermore, He added, too much turn over, tells me (him), that even if employees are appreciated and management is open minded, then this company’s management must have a knack for making bad decisions.”

The interviewee’s position was valid, in my opinion. I was amazed how threatened several of the other panel members reacted to this comment, made by the interviewee. In later deliberations and applicant reviews the team leader grabbed the resume belonging to that interviewee and marked upon it; “not qualified”. As you can tell, I was more shocked at this, than I was at the actual interviewee’s inquiry.

In the past, I have sat in a few boards, which were responsible in interviewing exiting employees and new hire candidates. In all of the review boards, I have sat on, I have yet to hear anyone suggest that the employee has a legitimate issue, that needed be addressed. I have never heard upper management ask the employee, not to go. I have never heard a manager or owner tell that employee that they were important, to the business. I have never heard the employees given levity when making accusations against a supervisor or project manager.

In the sense of communication, loss of employees can normally be curbed through time. Exit interviews and the records kept, during these interviews, can go a long way in identifying trends. If a trend suggests that one or two managers or project managers have more employee turn overs, then a company may wish to look at interview records and any other complaints made internally, to see if the manager’s habits can be changed, or dealt with quickly.

The interview example, in the previous section, was shared to express something important normally missed by business owners and immediate supervisors. It was to show, that they alone do not have the powers, they believe that they do and the perceived powers are a double edged sword. If you received the message I got out of the interviewee’s questions, it was pointed and directly honest. Most employers would stray away from this type of candidate, instead of listening to his concerns. You see, his concern(s), are not only his alone but probably shared by the employees whom are working for you already.

Honest and open communications, between you and your employees, can go a long way in the retentions of your current personnel. It can also go a long way in not only improving operational output and moral, but save you money too.. However, it must be noted that open and honest communication should be kept between only those people, whom are directly affected by or will be effected by what ever is being communicated