Top performing employees are feeling the weight of the recession lift off their shoulders and are seeking greener pastures with better career opportunities. With more job opportunities available, the number of employees who voluntarily quit a job surpassed the number of those who were laid off or discharged for the first time since November 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Unprepared organizations are seeing their top talent leave, not because of salaries or bonuses, but because of lack of recognition.  A recent article by Tali Arbel provided insight on this trend and on how organizations can keep top talent.  According to the article, organizations must “go personal and communicate.” Harry Osle, a principal in consultancy for the Hackett Group Inc. stated in the article, that employees, “will be more hesitant to make a jump if they feel like they’re part of a family, an organization that’s investing in them.”

Suggestions on how to keep top talent engaged include:

• Communicate organizational goals and provide employees the opportunity to be actively involved in achieving them.
• Provide training and teach employees new skills that can be utilized in their roles to help achieve company goals.
• Recognize employees for their contributions, large and small, on a regular basis.
• Create mentor and coaching opportunities to allow employees to learn from the experiences of leadership.
• Focus on employee well-being and implement programs that encourage a healthy work-life balance.
• Create open lines of communication between leadership and employees through town hall meetings or open forums; provide employees the opportunity to present their ideas and have them heard.

By implementing programs and practices connecting employees and leadership to an organization’s goals and mission, businesses will stand a better chance of keeping their top talent even when new career opportunities present themselves.

Read Tali Arbel’s article, “How To Keep Your Best Employees On Board”