February 1, 2001

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RETENTION REMINDERS:
If You Build It, They Will Stay

Teamwork. It can be a stepping-stone to prosperous employment relationships or a roadblock to retention efforts. That’s why it is crucial that you build teams that employees look forward to working with, not teams they dream of fleeing from at the first opportunity.

Denise O’Berry, President of The Small Business Edge Corporation (Tampa, FL), offers the following tips for creating an all-for-one-and-one-for-all environment.

• Alert every team member as to the purpose of the team. Nothing is worse than grouping a bunch of employees together to work on tasks that could be better accomplished alone.

• Select the most appropriate communication style. If only two team members out of 10 prefer to exchange feedback amid humorous banter, it’s best to save the joking for when you’re dealing with those employees on an individual basis. Communicate with the team in a manner that puts all members at ease.

• Don’t take sides. If employees complain that a team member isn’t pulling his/her weight, avoid taking any actions until you’ve collected documentation to either support or refute the complaints.

• Define decision-making boundaries. Make sure employees know where their authority as team members begins and ends. Having such boundaries will provide employees with a sense of accomplishment and improve personal self-esteem.

• Remember to celebrate success. Too often, teams harp on what’s wrong. Combat this energy drainer with “kudos meetings,” where no negativity is allowed.

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