Kevin Johnston is a contractor and technical writer working for the Headquarters Marine Corps Talent Management Oversight Directorate. Prior to that, he was a Transportation Corps officer in the Army. The views expressed within this writing are his own.
8 Best Practices for Stronger Skip-Level Meetings
Defined as meetings between an organizational leader and a lower-level employee who does not report directly to that leader, skip-level meetings give executives the opportunity to get to know the people in their companies better. As such, these meetings are particularly helpful in resolving organizational issues, increasing engagement, and gaining new perspectives and insights. Like any...
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Sustainable Retention: How Going Green Keeps Your Employees Around Longer
As organizations attempt to stay profitable and competitive, they must constantly adapt to new ideas and techniques. This is especially true today, when workers can find new jobs more easily, the cost of supplies disrupts profitability, and unengaged workers are the rule rather than the exception. However, employers can reduce their expenses, engage their workers, and retain more staff...
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For Better Onboarding That Boosts Retention, Copy the Marine Corps Model
A failure to retain employees causes tremendous expense for a company. Replacing a single worker can cost 6-9 months' worth of their salary when you factor in advertising, interviewing, and training. Moreover, new employees tend to be less productive and make more errors than seasoned employees simply because they do not have the same amount of experience in the role. For large...
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The Secret to Higher Retention: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Retention is difficult, often because the key drivers that keep employees from leaving can be hard to uncover. Even when it seems like every need is met — even when employees earn competitive salaries, engage in challenging work, and collaborate with supportive team members — turnover can be a problem. But perhaps the mystery of retention is not as deep as it seems. The psychological...
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What Civilian Organizations Can Learn From the Military About Flexible Work
The world of work is changing rapidly, and an employer's desire — as well as its capacity— to keep pace may affect its ability to retain quality employees. Flexible work arrangements are becoming more common, with more than half of employers offering some type of flexible option to workers, according to SHRM. Moreover, SHRM also found that 55 percent of employees cite workplace...
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6 Questions to Ask for a Better Stay Interview
Losing employees is enormously expensive. According to the Center for American Progress, even replacing a worker who makes less than $30,000 a year can cost a business 16 percent of the worker's salary. For executives or senior partners, that number can skyrocket to 213 percent of the departing employee's salary. In addition to the purely financial price tag of turnover, there are other, less...
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