Employee retention top priority for companies in 2010

DENVER - With the gradually recovering economy bringing some tempting opportunities, it is all the more important for companies to work harder in order to retain employees.

Employee retention will be the number one staffing priority in 2010, according to a Robert Half Technology survey.

Adam Glod, a career expert from Robert Half Technology, has some suggestions for businesses to keep their staff intact.

To keep productivity going in the company, make sure that morale is up.

"You'll usually find...happier employees when a lot of things are getting done...," Glod said.

Undervalued employees could choose to jump ship. So when things are getting done well, it is important to publicly and loudly recognize employees for their excellence. Glod explained that saying "thank you" to the staff is not "done nearly enough."

"If someone's working harder, make sure that you recognize that in one way or another. Start with that 'thank you.' But if you can do little spot bonuses or something like that at the completion of a project, that's going to go a long way. You don't necessarily have to up their total salary right away," Glod said.

Employees also want to see potential for growth and advancement. They usually ask themselves the question, "How can I move forward in my career?"

"You also find that people just want an opportunity to try something new, or advance their career," Glod said.

Glod says the Denver Metro Area offers plenty of educational opportunities for the professional development of employees.

"That'll help people move forward in their careers. And you can go ahead and fund that, or help them move forward there," Glod explained.

When communicating with employees, Glod says to keep reiterating the positives of the firm.

"You want to sell your company, just like it was day one, the time that they were interviewing with your company. Why do they want to work for you?" Glod said.

The executive director of Robert Half Technology, Dave Willmer, summarizes how to keep those valued employees in ten tips:

1. "Re-recruit your best workers" - Communication is important with employees. Ask them what would enhance their job satisfaction. It's recommended to emphasize and remind them of the unique benefits your firm offers (great corporate culture, strong industry reputation or solid financial standing).

2. "Invest in professional development" - Offer online learning opportunities, mentoring programs and tuition reimbursement for your employees. A Robert Half Technology survey indicates that 21-percent of chief information officers polled are going to offer more training/professional development opportunities in 2010.

3. "Provide opportunities for career advancement" - To keep employees from straying, ensure that job positions allow employees to grow, expand and be promoted to the next level.

4. "Recognize excellence" - Simple things like a 'thank you' or public acknowledgement of good work can strengthen employee loyalty.

5. "Communicate regularly with staff" - It's vital to keep an open-door policy all year-round. Share company news with employees, whether in good times or bad.

6. "Provide project support" - If hiring additional employees is not an option, it's recommended to bring in project professionals to assist in alleviating the workload.

7. "Encourage more team-building activities" - Those occasional group activities are more valuable than some think. Whether it's a movie or an off-site lunch, employee perks can help employees feel more appreciated.

8. "Consider compensation" - Not everyone is in the position to offer employees a salary increase. But, spot bonuses at the end of a major project or team accomplishment are recommended.

9. "Promote work/life balance" - Offering flexible schedules or occasional telecommuting can be beneficial to employees and doesn't cost anything for implementation.

10. "Evaluate workloads" - Prioritizing is important. It's likely that some projects can take a backseat to more important matters, even though everything seems like a priority.

9NEWS Intern and CU Boulder student Vignesh Ramachandran contributed to this story.