Question One: Reducing Managerial Turnover
It is necessary to appreciate the current managerial environment. Today, the typical managers are highly equipped and knowledgeable in their professional specialization in turn making them an invaluable asset in the modern organization. Within that strain, falls the imperative to retain them in the organization given the highly competitive environment. With the information technology advancements, access to information has been highly facilitated in turn increasing mobility of labor. While this favors the employees, it is in the interest of the organization that managerial turnover is kept at the lowest levels possible. The ensuing sections shall discuss some of the ways in which managerial turnover can be maintained at low levels.
The most effective method that retains managers is motivation. Managers must be effectively motivated in their work environments. The human being desires recognition and growth and these dynamics have a motivating effect that keep management within their workplaces. In that context, it is essential to develop a motivation program that keeps the managers running and consumed. Motivation could assume both monetary and non-monetary aspects. It could be in form of regular trips and vacations, provision of Employee Share Ownership options, fringe benefits such as car benefit and permanency in the job. These motivation approaches may generally be costly for the organization and it is essential that they be availed with due consideration to the resources available in the organization.
Authority and discretion on the management also have a connection to retention of labor. It is critical to devolve to the management necessary authority and discretion that would enable them dispense with their duties effectively without logistical and bureaucratic inconveniences. Managers generally get discouraged when they have to take instructions on each and every aspect in the workplace. In addition, the performance evaluation system should be in appreciation of the level of discretion and authority that the management has. In many cases it has often surmised that management is evaluated even against performance that given the authority it has, it was not able to achieve. In addition, in the knowledge era, managers prefer to be entrusted with the responsibility, authorities, resources and discretion so as to deliver effectively. A classical approach, in management whereby the manager is seen as an administrator rather than as a leader in the organization, is looked down upon; and the same occasions a high managerial turnover. It is imperative, therefore, for the organization work structure to facilitate the process of empowering the management with the necessary authority.
Lastly, management turnover can also be reduced through budgetary participation. In budgetary participation the departmental managers are called upon to flout their ideas and suggestions giving input as to their overall departmental budgetary requirements. This will enable the managers own the budget implementation systems and understand the trajectory of the organization. The gap often arises when the managers feel that the organizational budget underfunds their own departments. This generally demotivates the managers and may occasion a higher turnover. The inclusion of managers in the budgetary preparation could also assume strategic approaches where managers brainstorm over the intended strategies and suggest ideas as to the implementation. This participative approach generally makes the managers loyal to the organization thereby reducing the turnover levels.
Question two: Reducing non-managerial turnover
While the interventions would not be fundamentally different when dealing with non-management employees, subtle differences would suffice and would inform the subject of the ensuing discussions. First, it is imperative to appreciate that generally non-managerial employees should be afforded less discretion and only be made accountable over a few areas. In the area of motivation, non-managerial employees are often interested in the monetary aspects. It is, therefore, necessary to structure their remuneration package in a manner that fully satisfies their needs. It is equally proper to consider the personal needs of the employees. A non-managerial remuneration package should consider the different needs and make arrangements to solve the same. For instance, the remuneration package could offer loans for different activities such as education, mortgage, and health, among others depending on the needs of the employee in question. This approach generally gets the employee captured and retained in the organization.
Secondly on the area of authority and discretion, the best approach for the non-managerial employees entails an inclusive approach to job execution and performance. Under the participative approach, the management should sit together with the employees and set the organizational objectives necessary. This should include the means of attaining the objectives and the resources the employees deem necessary. One common approach that is recommended is the management by agreement method. In this method, the management set the organizational objectives together with the employees and agrees on how to achieve them. The management then suffices for purposes of controlling and monitoring the execution. This approach generally empowers the employee and has the effect of creating a sense of organizational loyalty which commutes to employee retention. It is necessary to appreciate the characteristic of the modern employees who want to be recognized even for the small tasks they perform. Some of the approaches to use may include team competition, employee of the week awards, birthday celebrations, among others.
Budgetary participation is not the business of the non-managerial employees and it is not in order to include them. However, one way of retaining the employees is through employee engagement surveys. In the surveys, the employees are invited by external parties to give their assessment of the organization, report on any issues and suggest ideas and mechanisms necessary for the progression of the organization. This could equally include performance assessment of the management by the employees. This way the organization would be able to get feedback on the employees’ personal feelings and attitudes of the organization. The employee engagement system enables the meeting of minds between the employees and the employer. This way, the organization is afforded an opportunity to correct any issues and address any running disputes that could occasion employee exits.
Ultimately, the organization must equally embrace the need to develop and continuously train employees. Employees generally feel motivated and encouraged when the organization keeps them informed and trained in the new developments. It allows room for the personal growth of the employee. This coupled with promotions and regular remuneration reviews is sufficient in reducing overall non-managerial turnover.
In conclusion, modern human resource practices position the employee in the center of the organization. It is essential that employees be given the due consideration and appreciated for their contribution to the organization. On the other hand, employees must not take for granted the opportunities availed to them in the organization. They must live to the expectations and deliver their end of the bargain.
References
Aamodt, M. (2011). Industrial/Organizational Psychology: An Applied Approach. New York: Cengage Learning.
Nelson, D., & Quick, J. (2010). Organizational Behavior.: Science, the Real World, and You. New York: Cengage Learning.
Phillips, J., & Gully, S. (2011). Organizational Behavior: Tools for Success. New York: Cengage Learning.
Wagner, J., & Hollenbeck, J. (2009). Organizational Behavior: Securing Competitive Advantage. New York: Routledge.
