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In
this issue:
Word to the
Whys
We simply assume that the way we see things is the way they really are or the way they should be. And our attitudes and behaviors grow out of these assumptions.
Steven Covey
Loyalty is something you give regardless of what you get back, and in giving loyalty, you're getting more loyalty; and out of loyalty flow other great qualities.
Charles 'Tremendous' Jones
The game is my life. It demands loyalty and responsibility, and it gives me back satisfaction and peace.
Michael Jordan
Loyalty means nothing unless it has at its heart the absolute principle of self-sacrifice.
Woodrow Wilson
I think the most important thing is to take a chance on people. Somebody took a hell of a chance on me.
Walter Wriston – Former CEO of Citicorp
The face of a child can say a lot. Especially the mouth part.Jack Handey – Author of Deep Thoughts
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Getting
Them to Give a Damn: How to Get Your Front Line to Care About Your Bottom Line
 the
new book by Eric Chester reveals the management techniques that leading-edge
employers are using to get these quirky, book-smart, and streetwise employees—Eric
calls them 'kidployees'—to contribute in innovative and entrepreneurial ways.
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It may not be extreme but you'll want to see the makeover of the GenWhy web site announced in this issue...
The Retention Equation—Hang On For Dear Life
Employee turnover. No issue facing employers today is more pressing, more top-of-mind, and more costly. Perhaps nowhere is turnover more of an issue than with those young, feisty, disloyal Gen Whys who seem predestined to bolt on a sudden impulse and leave you with a gaping hole in your frontline.
You're not alone. Every company and organization is desperately looking for silver bullet solutions that are guaranteed to help them hang on to the people they've spent so much time, money, and energy to recruit and train to be productive members of their workforce. A myriad of books have been written on the subject, not to mention tons of white papers and articles, each based on countless hours of research, intensive studies, and polls.
And where does all of this tremendous expenditure on human capital lead us? What is the secret of employee retention, the holy grail of management success? Well I've read all the books and poured through all the articles and research, and I'll give it to you straight. Hang on to your hat, folks, ‘cause here it is:
Be good to your employees, and do everything you can to meet their needs.
I know. It can't be that simple, can it? There's got to be more to it, right? But before you simply dismiss it this policy outright, first check out the buried nuggets of gold it contains.
1. Be good – The adjectives "kind," "true," "virtuous," and "honorable" are all used to define the word "good." These terms, coincidentally, are the same ones used to describe the managers who are able to retain workers, especially workers under the age of twenty-five. Having grown up at a time when everyone (even the youngest of kids) is exposed to the ugliness of life, your new hires have already been heavily exploited and manipulated by smoke-and-mirrors marketers and broken promises. This means that good Gen Whys are drawn to good cultures that consistently put people first, cultures that are good to their customers and really good to their employees.
2. Do everything you can – Before you can figure out why some people leave your organization, you first have to ask what's compelling the others to stay. If you're competing solely on price and benefits, you'll always have to pay more/offer more than anyone else who might steal your talent. And while it's important to keep pace, it's even more important to look at what you can do for your employees that your competitors can't. You obviously have a strategy for brand differentiation when competing for customers, but it's equally important to have a strategy for brand differentiation when competing for frontline employees. After all, in this increasingly stingy labor market, the employees have the upper hand.
3. Meet their needs – Not long ago, Jerry, a frustrated line supervisor at a bank branch, talked with me about the tumultuous staff turnover that was crushing his spirit and eating away at his profits. When I asked him why he couldn't hang on to his best tellers, he said, "I don't understand it! We give them a competitive salary, paid vacations, health benefits, and a 401K retirement plan." When I reminded Jerry that all three banks within the same two-block area also advertised the same compensation package, he said, "Well then, what do they want?"
"I dunno" I replied. "Have you ever asked them?"
"Nope, but we sure give ‘em a lot more than I got when I first started here."
From Jerry's viewpoint, the bank's compensation plan would have exceeded HIS needs when HE was the tellers' age. But it doesn't matter any longer what the policy or plan was yesterday. If you want today's workers to be here tomorrow, you have to know what THEY want today. That means you have to keep an ear to the ground so you can stay abreast of their needs. And, like it or not, you have to meet those needs.
A Final Word
The unwritten part of the retention equation is the human factor, because it's the glue that holds everything else together. While it's always a good idea to mentor employees of any age, it's especially important to mentor the young ones. Statistically speaking, throughout their young lives they have spent less than 5 minutes per day in meaningful dialogue with a parent. Simply put, these young employees are starving for face time.
In other words, you can be good, do everything you can, and even meet the needs of your Gen Why employees, but if they don't have a personal relationship with a supervisor or a manager, they're not going to stay. And, always remember the key rule of Gen Why retention: Kids don't quit their jobs, they quit their boss.
Hang on for dear life!
A New Look for the Ezine and a New Site for GenerationWhy.com
 We're excited to unveil a new, more streamlined look for the ezine and even more excited by our version of Extreme Makeover: Web Edition that we performed at GenerationWhy.com. Gone are the Johnny Cash black background and disappearing menus. In their place is a sleek new design; new, more efficient navigation and loads of new content.
 We hope you like it and regardless, we want to hear from you. Oh, and if you find anything missing or any errors, help us to shake out the bugs and send an email to Eric@GenerationWhy.com with your suggestions or errors.
 So stop by, read past issues of Whys News in the Archive - now sorted by topic. Browse any of several articles that Eric has written for publication. Stop by the store and check out the merchandise. Read Eric's blog. View a Preview Presentation of Eric and, oh yeah, be sure and tune in to Eric's welcome tour conveniently located on the right side of the home page.
Whys Cracks
I See London, I see France - After the school's annual yearbook was printed, officials at Phillipsburg (N.J.) High School noticed that a photo of a girl sitting at a desk showed "a small portion" of her underwear. "We spoke to the student and her parents and they said it wasn't a problem," said Superintendent Gordon Pethick, but school officials tore the page out anyway before handing the books out to students. No one would admit to giving the order for the destruction of the page of the $80 books. Students were angry that the books they had already paid for were damaged, and school officials promise to replace the page — minus the photo. School Board President Paul Rummerfield says the problem wasn't handled well, and notes some of the books were handed out before the photo was discovered. (Easton Express-Times)
My blood runs cold - My memory has just been sold - My angel is the centerfold |
