March 2015 Management Minute
by Chris Reinhardt, feedlot specialist
People quit for any number of reasons. It’s important for the astute manager to find out why.
One axiom that has been often quoted is that if an employee asks for more money, even though you know the employee’s pay is competitive, it’s not really about the money; the employee is dissatisfied with some condition or multiple conditions about the workplace—or you. The employee is essentially screaming, “I hate my job, but for more money I’ll gut it out a little while longer!” However, most times even if they do stay, if the root cause of the dissatisfaction is not addressed, the employee will leave sooner than later.
The reason managers need to keep a very tight handle on the root causes of personnel turnover is that turnover costs money in the form of lost productivity, overtime for other employees, the hiring and training process, and the lost productivity of those workplace leaders who must take out time to train the new hire.
Ask around to find out if other employers are having similar turnover challenges. If not, it’s time to look in the mirror. If your compensation is competitive but you’re still losing good employees, there is something wrong. There is a likelihood that your workplace is not conducive to employee satisfaction.
The workplace culture is initiated, nurtured, and cultivated by the team leader. It’s time to ask a trusted advisor for help; this is often referred to as “The Hot Seat”. Many (maybe even most) managers are simply not ready to hear and accept constructive criticism. Humility in the workplace is priceless and often in short supply. The good news is that if the problem in the workplace turns out to be YOU, then at least you know you can do something about the problem.
Be ready to really hear, internalize, and take decisive action in response to whatever difficult advice you may receive. Either be prepared to make substantial changes, or simply keep losing good team members to your neighbors and competitors. It’s hard, but it’s also that simple.
For more information, contact Chris at 785-532-1672 or cdr3@ksu.edu.