Wait! Stop! Don't Go! (Unabridged)

Identifying the right strategies to hold on to the right employees for the right reasons 
W W W . N R P A . O R G    |    J U N E   2 0 1 4    |    Parks & Recreation
For nearly a decade in the early part of my career I worked for a prominent executive recruiting/ consulting firm. During my first week on the job, I remember the Director explaining the firm’s clientele standards by saying, “if they’ve had more than three jobs in twenty years, just file their resume in the trash.” He was of the Baby Boomer generation so he viewed longevity as a badge of honor if not its own measure of career success.

Retention Evolution

Fast forward a few decades - Forbes publishes an article in 2012 declaring that Job Hopping is the New Normal and the entire definition and expectations of employee retention has been upended. By a Millennial’s assessment, a resume with only three jobs in twenty years probably wouldn’t signify dedication, depth and perseverance but rather a deficit of skill, will or creativity.

In 2012, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the average job-stay had devolved to 4.4 years. Just two years later, current reports suggest that the tenure of the teens and young adults entering the workforce today will actually be about half that. That could amount to more than twenty employers in a single career! Organizations still trying to measure their workforce successes by Boomer retention standards will need to brace themselves for frequent frustration if not disappointment and defeat.

Micromanagement (Part Three)

It’s not me…. It’s you! 

W W W . N R P A . O R G   |   J A N U A R Y   2 0 1 4   |   Parks & Recreation

If you’ve followed along with Part One and Part Two of this mini-series, then you understand the difference between effective, directive management and true, debilitating micromanagement. If you’ve been under the thumb of a micromanager, then you now have a solid 7-step action plan to neutralize those micromanaging ways by managing up.

But what if the problem is you? If you’re reading this article because it’s been torn out and slipped under your office door, resist the urge to crumple and toss it. You may not be a true micromanager (refer back to Part One), but some minor adjustments may ease the misplaced perception of this lone, desperate employee who is simply eager to have a better, more productive relationship with you. So while your employee works on his or her skills to manage up, perhaps you could refresh your skills to manage right.

Managing Right

There’s a fading sign on my office door that says “Encourage, Empower, Expect.” It’s one of my favorite management mantras because it’s simple yet on target. To be complete, however, it needs three more Es— Engage, Equip and Entrust. Although our emphasis is on replacing those micromanaging practices with more effective ones, these six Es are an easy way for any manager to remember the basics of effective management.