The Question Every Employee Wants to Hear

Colleagues, clients and friends who are leaders in their organizations are hungry to know...how do I retain employees right now when they have so many options?

How do I keep them hungry, engaged...dare I say, happy in their jobs?

The answer is both complex and simple. The complex part - it’s different for everyone. You’re not going to get at everyone’s challenges with one blanket solution.

I’ve been seeing this approach in various organizations. Offering up free subscriptions to professional development or fitness tools. Or giving one extra Mental Health Day off to the whole staff. These are all lovely and generous perks. Yet, they most likely don’t address the challenges most employees are facing.

One powerful way to retain employees right now is to courageously ask them…

What do you need?

To listen with curiosity and openness.

And then collaborate with your employees on solutions.

Is it the opportunity to delegate a piece of the role that doesn’t match up to her strengths?

Is it starting work at 9:30 twice a week so she can drop off her son at school?

Is it the ability to speak openly about what a longer term career path looks like?

Is it a 20% raise to bring her up to market rate - a number she has the research and evidence to back up?

If you truly want to retain employees right now, listen to them and act accordingly.

One of the most popular ways I’ve helped organizations with a customized and empathetic approach to supporting their employees in the past is to offer Virtual Coaching Days. I provide a day of 50-minute, 1:1 sessions to multiple employees who are not eligible for longer coaching engagements.

In the past I’ve worked with clients like American Express, Brookfield Properties and the Council of Urban Professionals to support leaders and teams with Coaching Days and the reviews were both heartwarming for me and powerful for clients in the respective organizations.

If you’re currently leading a team and looking for some support around year-end reviews, planning, professional development or internal career pathing, feel free to reach out via email at rachel@rachelbgarrett.com!