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The fact that most of us spend more time with our employees than our families is true. But when we have hard times dealing with our staff, it is easier for us to let them go. People who work for us are responsible for creating and maintaining our livelihood. Yet, we dismiss them or allow them to leave freely without giving it any more thought than taking the garbage out.

In this day and age, where stress is high and time is low, it is more important than ever to make your customers feel comfortable. Give them a place they can call home and they will remain for a very long time as well as bringing in new business. But in order to achieve this, you must begin decreasing your turnover rate.

High turnover businesses attract high turnover employees. They give their 25% knowing that they will be leaving soon. When you have good employees, your business and profits increase. Your customers feel welcomed and most return because of the service they receive. Feeling comfortable and relaxed is one of the main reasons customers return. It may seem impossible to retain employees who have proven their worth. However, there is hope. The first step is free. All it involves is taking a serious look at your attitudes and interaction with your staff.

Some of the main reasons people leave jobs are:

They feel a lack of respect from management. - Do you treat your staff with the same dignity as you wish to be treated or do you have the attitude that because you are management, you deserve more respect? We all deserve respect and by believing that our titles automatically make us superior, we are living a dangerous illusion. This can only create walls, which will produce hostility and a reason for your employee to leave. They feel a lack of support from management. - Do you display a lack of support for employees when they have a problem, either personal or job related? We all have problems that arise and sometimes having a little time to resolve them without the added pressure of an employer threatening job loss can produce results quicker. If you are flexible with your employee, a bond is developed. He/she will be more willing to work with you if you care about the good and bad in their lives.

They feel that they are not being heard. - Be willing to listen. You didn't become an owner of your business or manager of a business without having some communication skills. Unfortunately, when we get on a roll of making money or "putting out fires", we tend to forget that the people who surround us need to be heard.

Lack of good training. - Increase your level of training for new and old staff. - If necessary, hire a trainer - someone who is willing to work with your staff or employee to make them their best. Create pride in the people who work for you and they will exhibit it through productivity.

Offer additional rewards. - Doing this, you will seal the contract between employer and employee. Bonuses, profit sharing, employee of the month rewards, highest sales programs, etc., are not new ideas, however, in the middle of trying to keep the business going, we tend to forget about the things that encourage people to continue working. Traditional bonuses are always welcomed, but if it is not in the budget, approach it in a personable way. Reward them with a dinner and movie for two or an over night stay in a downtown hotel. You don't have to be extravagant. You only need to provide recognition for hard work in a manner that can be appreciated. See it from your employees' perspective and not from an owner/manager's perspective.

Profit sharing is one of the most successful tools in creating the feeling of belonging. When we are a part of something, we do everything it takes to increase profit.

Employees will not remain with you for the same reasons that they may have in the past. You must make them want to stay. If you are a business with a high turnover rate, remember that every relationship is a two way street and you're headed south. Why not make a
u-turn and head north? Become a company that people line up on the streets to work for. Give yourself a gift. Retain those good employees and don't lose your @@@.