<p>“Studies have shown that people don’t leave companies --- they leave managers!” Conference Board ‘99</p><p>The Buck Stops Here When it Comes to Employee Retention, Managers Simply Can’t Pass the Buck.</p><p>As a manager, aren’t you in charge of certain assets? Aren’t you held accountable for protecting those assets and, in some cases for growing them? Today, chances are your most critical assets are people, not property, and the supply is quickly diminishing. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be 151 million jobs by the year 2006, with only 141 million people employed and some of them working two jobs. Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan recently said there are simply not enough people to feed the economic machine and declared that the limiting factor to our continued economic growth is people. </p><p>The message is clear. Talented employees are scarce and will continue to be scarce. Organizations that triumph will be those that can keep their best people. </p><p>It’s Up to You</p><p>Sit ten managers down and ask them what keeps talented employees. Nine out of ten will say money and because of that belief feel that retaining their best people is out of their hands or not even their job. They often put the responsibility for keeping employees squarely in the hands of senior management or the HR department and blame policies or pay scales for the loss of talent. </p><p>Well, the truth is that manager’s matter most. At any level, from executives and senior-level managers to front-line supervisors and team leaders, bosses actually have more power than anyone else to keep their best people. Why? Because research tells us that the primary factors that drive employee satisfaction and retention are largely within the manager’s control. Those factors are:  meaningful work  a chance to learn and grow  being part of a team/working with great people  and having a great boss.</p><p>This means that managers can influence their employees’ decisions to stay or leave. They can partner with their best people to find them meaningful work, growth opportunities, and the chance to be part of a team. And they can absolutely become better bosses. One study found that 50 percent of work life satisfaction is determined by the relationship a worker has with his or her immediate boss. And another study including over half a million people from 300+ companies, found that out of 50 retention factors, pay was the least important. </p><p>It’s never been more critical for managers to care -- and really care -- about their employees. To hold on to your best people, you need to identify and leverage your strengths and pinpoint and improve upon the areas in which you need improvement. </p><p>To Do</p><p> Pay attention to the research about what keeps people. Note that most of the strategies are within your control.  If you manage managers, hold them accountable for hiring and keeping good people. Establish clear expectations and measure results. People will do what is inspected more than what is expected.  Do just one thing. Try a retention strategy and see how it works. Modify it and adapt it to your needs. Then try another.</p>