With most employees changing jobs every two to four years,retention is a major challenge for human resource professionals.In 1990,Roger Herman tackled retention in the first edition of Keeping Good People.This expanded,updated version discusses the five major reasons people leave their jobs and offers nearly 200 practical techniques for reducing turnover.The book is divided into three major sections.The first section discusses the value of good people,what good people want and why they leave.The second section,which discusses strategies for retaining good people and includes the aforementioned practical tips,makes up the bulk of the book.The third section covers tactics for implementing strategies and retention as a strategic business issue.It also discusses the future workforce.Chapter 5 discusses the five major reasons good people leave:corporate culture,lack of appreciation,lack of resources,no opportunity for advancement and compensation that does not meet their needs.Chapters 6-9 discuss environmental,relationship,support,growth and compensation strategies,respectively.Strategies for dealing with the business environment or corporate culture include clarifying the corporate mission; communicating positive feelings; supporting telecommuting,family leave and privacy; establishing clear policies; and insisting on workplace safety.Some of the relationship strategies discussed in Chapter 7 include understanding behavioral styles,resolving conflicts,facilitating open communication,showing respect for others,trusting your people,balancing praise and criticism,and listening.Support strategies include providing challenges,removing barriers to task accomplishment,being patient,welcoming new ideas,defining responsibilities and giving clear direction.Strategies for creating growth include establishing a learning culture,supporting formal education,investing in career planning,establishing a corporate university,providing cross-training or experience and engaging in organizationwide succession planning.Compensation strategies for keeping good people include paying for performance,designing reward systems to stimulate employee involvement,considering employee stock ownership,offering creative benefits,providing employee assistance programs and coordinating special visits or outside events.Once strategies for retaining good employees have been designed,managers should implement them by involving subordinate managers,peers and higher-level managers.They should also adequately research and plan their strategies before acting.The author predicts that future companies will be less hierarchial,performance-driven,more flexible and will work harder to balance employees' needs between work,family and society as a whole.Three appendices are also included.COPYRIGHT 1999 Society for Human Resource Management COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group
