It's interesting to hear managers say that people leave because of money but that's far from the truth. Sure, there are some people that need more money and they look for new opportunities simply because of that reason. The reality is that it's not near as common as people leaving simply because of the people they work with and it's not limited to just co-workers but their managers as well. People will even take a reduction in pay to work in a better environment and with better people.

If an employee isn't happy with the people they see more than their own family then they're not going to stick around and be miserable.  

Get to know your staff and you'll be surprised to find that there's at least one person stirring up problems in your office. You can't address that which you're not aware of so make effort in understanding what your staff deals with and what frustrates them. If you feel that there are problem people in your company then make effort to manage their behavior. The answer isn't to terminate people who don't seem to get a long with others but that could be an end result if proper counseling doesn't improve the unacceptable behaviors.

If you fail to address problem employees who create negativity in your workplace then your staff will start to lose respect and trust in you as an employer. If they feel you're ignoring the problem and allowing it to occur then that alone will start pushing the frustrated employee(s) to look for new opportunities.

Be proactive and manage the people you have to minimize the risk of losing people simply because of the work environment.

Sure, the economy is down and there's not much light at the end of the tunnel reassuring you that sales are about to pick back up but the last thing you need to do is stop investing in your staff. Your staff is feeling the beat down just as you are but the answer for reducing company expenses to maintain stability should not be to reduce or remove benefits and programs.

Successful companies come from positive work environments where employees feel valued, appreciated and excited to help the company succeed. When you take away the things that make them feel valued and appreciated you create a negative work environment.

Brigid Milligan and Ryan Wells of Burson-Marsteller's Corporate Practices collaborated with The Great Place to Work Institute to ask the top 25 companies in the global workforce ranking about the value of a positive work environment.

Twenty of the 25 companies responded and this is what they found:

• They invest in their people and in fact, are invesing more in various types of employee benefit plans and programs. Those that aren't increasing due to the economy are still maintaining the same benefits offered instead of reducing or eliminating.
• Offered stability and growth programs providing career development opportunities.
• Culture is critical to talent retention and the most important element to the companies daily operations.

Deidre H. Campbell, Managing Director in Burson-Marsteller's Corporate Practice, states "Becoming a great workplace is not a transition that will happen overnight. Being a great workplace is the result of a long-term investment in their employees."

Are you investing in your people, providing stability and career development opportunities and building a positive environment?

If you haven’t already created goals for the New Year it’s likely that you have it on your “to-do” list! Make sure to keep the following in mind when you’re setting new goals for your employees:

1. Don’t be too specific
2. Make sure to include all critical information (quantity & quality)
3. Create challenging, realistic and achievable goals: unrealistic goals could promote unethical behavior
4. Consider getting the employees input: this could be far more motivating for the employees to achieve goals they helped create for themselves
5. Create deadlines for each goal
6. Consider how you will measure overall success of the set goal/s
7. Establish the overall purpose/s of the goal with the employee: is it to achieve profitability? Build customer relations? Improve processes? Etc..
8. Make sure the employee understands the importance in achieving the set goals: employees’ who understand and realize the importance in achieving their goal successfully helps motivate them towards success.

Trend has created a Quick Train for clients to reference:

• Managing Employees: Using S.M.A.R.T. Goals for Desired Results