Attrition Blues

Hema was skilled, punctual and efficient and had the right qualifications for the job, so she was hired to do it. By the third week, she began to look for a new spot. Despite the work being what she wanted to do, the pay being just right and the company feeling she was doing it well enough, something irked her enough to put in her papers within six months. The company management still doesn't know why she left and is busy looking for her replacement.

It's a fact that it's people that add value to organizations. It's also a fact that humans are a restless species who, unlike the immovable Banyan Tree, cannot stay rooted in one place. People need to move on for one reason or another and the organization stands to lose. Attrition is inevitable but a high rate of employee turnover spells `Unproductivity' in capitals. If a company gets associated with the Here today, gone tomorrow syndrome, it will be inferred that there is something wrong with itself and not with those ships that have passed in the night!

Agony of Attrition

Apart from causing the company a monetary loss and breaks in their day-to-day operations, attrition contributes to knowledge transfer, which is a loss that is horrific and adversely affects business. In the war for talent, the company suffers many casualties and requires focused strategy to keep workers on the job. Why employees are jumping the ship is a matter for concern - is something wrong with the ship, the captain or the weather?

Attacking Attrition

To deal with employee turnover, the first step is to find out what's making them leave and what can be done to stop them from leaving.

Money matters: Could it be the pay? Maybe the organization did not follow up on the promised appraisal and salary hike. Maybe it's time to raise the bar for the green-circled employee and win his loyalty. Maybe it's time to lay on the perks.

Pressure levels: Too much or too little to do? Some employees just can't take the pressure. Others leave because they are underused. Match performance expectations with ability. Create opportunities for those who can scale up but avoid overloading the scales.

Growing pains: What are the growth prospects you offer? Make sure that the employees are learning and building experience. They should have the experience of adding to their skills through work, training and responsibilities.

Ego massage: Self- esteem is a big key and HR should focus on giving credit to achievers. Employees feel they are valued and build organizational loyalty. Have in-house counseling and workshops on soft skills to increase effective communication and build self-awareness.

The battle against attrition should start from every employee's first day of work. A wise company could begin with a flower in a soda bottle as a welcome and carry it forward with performance appraisals, mentoring programmes, counseling, smart training and appropriate incentives and rewards. It's all about instilling a sense of loyalty and drive in employees to keep them on the job.