Salary increases are not the answer to retaining staff says Ken

It is no longer enough for corporations to pay good salaries – they have to be socially responsible employers as well.

24th January 2007, Dubai (UAE): It is no longer enough for corporations to pay good salaries – they have to be socially responsible employers as well. That is the message from leadership expert Ken Blanchard and the team behind his first live appearance in Bahrain on March 21.

Blanchard, the co-author of the 12 million-selling One Minute Manager, names attracting – and retaining – key talent as one of the biggest issues facing the corporate world today. He will address this issue and others during a full-day event in Manama, in the Kingdom of Bahrain, on March 21, 2007.

According to Blanchard, there are 10 retention-building habits that corporate leaders should adopt to retain their best staff.

1. Show genuine interest and appreciation.
2. Make work meaningful.
3. Ask courageous questions.
4. Grow competencies, situationally.
5. Meet one-on-one, routinely.
6. Make retention everyone’s responsibility.
7. Be a career-builder.
8. Help people get an ‘A’.
9. Manage the meaning of change.
10. Walk your talk.

He says: “Living these 10 habits is a tall order for leaders and managers. The reality is: people don’t leave organisations, they leave managers.

“People are much less likely to leave prematurely and voluntarily if they are learning, recognised individually, valued and appreciated, building a career toward their dreams, and part of something that is valuable to their organisation and society.”

The event has been organised by Global Leaders, the creators of international thought leadership programmes.

Tina Schneidermann, president of Global Leaders, said: “It is common for companies in developed cities to lose 20 per cent of employees year on year, costing up to a year’s pay to replace each one.

“While part of this scenario is a response to our changing society, companies can do more to attract this highly transient workforce, who often have no compelling reason to stay in their jobs and are not engaged in their working environment.”

“People want to work for companies that they are proud of; that means they have be socially responsible, ethical and transparent while providing a support structure for staff and a product or service that really makes a difference.”

One of the partners for the Blanchard event is Flip Media, the interactive agency with offices in Bahrain and Dubai. CEO Martin Diessner said: “Corporations must be seen to be interested in more than just profit margins and employees want to work for companies that are innovative and exciting.

“To keep employees feeling that they are part of something fresh, companies should invest in ongoing training. Career development is important to team members, with 90 per cent stating they would stay in their job longer if they received regular and relevant training.”

Mona Ataya, vice president marketing for the region’s largest job site Bayt.com, said: “Retaining staff comes down to three key things: staff recognition, personal growth for employees, and of course the package. Retaining staff is becoming more difficult in a competitive market, but companies are starting to appreciate the need to perform in all three areas.”

Bayt.com is the event’s official online recruitment partner and she continued: “A few years ago staff recognition schemes were almost unheard of, now they’re quite common. Businesses are also taking career planning more seriously and are being more transparent with salary packages to stay in line with the market.

“Both employees and companies focus on the short term, but it is important to take a long-term view. A higher salary now might not mean large rewards later on.”

At the event, entitled Leading at a Higher Level, Dr Blanchard will be focusing on staff retention, team integration, leading a team and motivation, and his programme will explore the five fundamental ways a manager leads through service.

Dr Blanchard has just completed a year-long study, including a literature review of hundreds of studies from 1980 through 2005, on the Leadership-Profit Chain, which revealed some real connections between leadership effectiveness, employee passion, customer devotion, and organisational vitality.

The results of this research will be covered in the interactive full-day session, as well as newly published material from his book Leading at a Higher Level and content from his previous bestsellers The One Minute Manager, Raving Fans, Gung Ho!, Big Bucks!, and High Five!

DATE & VENUE
Ken Blanchard: Leading at a Higher Level
March 21, 2007
The Diplomat Radisson SAS Hotel, BahrainFOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION
Global Leaders, 21st Floor, Almoayyed Tower,
Seef District, PO Box 18259,
Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain.
Tel: +973 17 566739, fax: +973 17 567901.
www.globalleadersevents.com/blanchardbr/MEDIA INFORMATION
To stay updated about this forthcoming event or to obtain a press invitation, please contact:
Kirstie Hepburn
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Tel: +973 17 566739, fax: +973 17 567901.