Want to keep employees? Forget the watch

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - A lifetime job for a lifetime of work used to be the rule. In return for a guaranteed paycheck until being handed a gold watch at retirement, employees gave companies their loyalty and measured success in years of service. When asked what would happen if you gave today's employee a watch, participants at a Michigan Credit Union League session on Employee Retention in a Tight Labor Market responded quickly. "They'd laugh," the audience agreed. As employers wrestle with a job market offering employees the lowest unemployment rates in three decades, Erick Burton suggested it's time for credit unions to take a close look at keeping the employees they already have. Burton, the session leader, is president of Burton Resources, Lamar, Mo. Burton urged credit unions to set themselves apart from all the other employers in their area competing to woo and retain employees. "What are you doing that no other employer is?," he asked. "If you're not doing anything to separate yourself, why would anybody want to work for you? You want to become the employer of choice, and you want those employees to stay with you." Throughout the presentation, Burton returned again and again to the theme of asking employees themselves what they want-and actually listening to them. `Begin your next meeting with this question: `What kind of company do you want to work with? Ask everyone to respond. Take careful notes. Open the following meeting with a ten-minute overview of what you believe in. Tie it into your summary of the notes you took at the previous meeting," he suggested. When an employee seeks the answer to a difficult problem, Burton advised asking, "What would you do?" Fresh, innovative ideas can be uncovered simply by asking employees for their opinions. He praised Noel Goutard, CEO of French auto parts manufacturer Valeo. Goutard holds each of his 25,000 employees responsible for submitting at least ten suggestions for improving the company every year. In turn, managers must respond to each idea within ten days. Burton listed some signs that indicate an organization is indeed connecting with employees: * Employees feel free to speak up. They know their opinions matter and will get a fair hearing. * They are confident they will receive timely information on things that affect both their particular area and the company at large. * Employees don't just comply with mandates. They are committed to the company. They offer extra energy and ideas. * Management understands the needs of employees. When Burton asked the audience to suggest their best practices, he drew such items as paying for education, lowering the number of hours needed for full-time vacation and sick leave benefits, celebrating birthdays and anniversaries, and providing no-interest loans and Internet access to employees for computer systems. Although Burton indicated personal fulfillment ranks higher than money in the view of today's employees, that idea faced some challenge. One member of the audience grumbled he has been unable to hire people to work weekends. After a number of suggestions were greeted with "I've tried that," one participant declared, "We pay triple time and have no trouble getting people to work weekends. Pay triple time and I guarantee you'll have people." Some other suggestions from Burton: * Adopt another department in your organization. Teach members about your function and how it relates to them, the credit union's overall goals, and the members. * Invite colleagues from other departments to speak at your staff meetings about their areas. * Conduct a "This is what I learned this month" departmental lunch. Require everyone to share at least two things they learned this month about subjects such as company operations and industry trends. * Circulate, perhaps by e-mail, a "I really wish I knew..." list requesting employees to list those areas they feel they really need to improve, learn more about, or just keep up with. Use the list to begin cross-training and encouraging group and individual learning programs. * Hold a monthly "At the Movies" afternoon or lunch break and show a training or industry-related video. Ask for a thumbs up or thumbs down vote on the movie's relevance to your credit union. If it's relevant, discuss how to implement the ideas. -ECour58516@aol.com