The Workforce Institute Reveals How to Keep Great Hourly Employees
New paper explores the role of frontline managers in retaining hourly workers
2008-04-09
CHELMSFORD, Mass., April 9, 2008 — Organizations of all sizes struggle with how to retain their best hourly employees, but frequently overlook the critical role that a frontline manager plays in the process. A new white paper from The Workforce Institute™ at Kronos® Incorporated provides actionable advice on how organizations can empower frontline managers with the tools, training, and latitude to keep those star performers and spend less time and money looking for their replacements.
Authors of the paper, David Creelman, CEO of Creelman Research, and Steven Hunt, SPHR, Ph.D., and director of business transformation services at SuccessFactors, are members of the board of advisors of The Workforce Institute. In the paper, titled "The Role of Frontline Managers in Retaining Hourly Workers," Creelman and Hunt outline best practices for enabling managers to retain hourly workers, providing a number of actionable suggestions including:
- Determine whether company-induced demands are undermining managers' ability to retain staff
- Don't assume that all hourly workers are motivated by the same things
- Support retention strategies with words and deeds, i.e., penalize "derailers" (managers who generate excessive turnover)
- Empower managers to reward great employees
- Spend time with employees and ask lots of questions to learn why people stay at their jobs
"We hope that this paper, the first in our series on building a retention strategy for hourly workers, will convince managers that reducing turnover of hourly workers is both important and achievable. David and Steven provide leaders and managers with actionable advice that they can use to keep their best employees," said Joyce Maroney, director of The Workforce Institute. "Empowering managers to take an active role in motivating and rewarding employees is a critical factor in any good retention strategy."
To hear Creelman and Hunt discussing the role of the frontline manager in retaining hourly workers with Joyce Maroney, director of The Workforce Institute, please visit: http://www.workforceinstitute.org/retaining-hourly-workers.htm
To download a full copy of this paper, please visit: http://www.workforceinstitute.org/tool-kit/the-role-of
-frontline-managers-in-retaining-hourly-workers.
About the Workforce Institute
The Workforce Institute was founded by Kronos® Incorporated in 2006 as a think tank to provide research and education on critical workplace issues facing organizations around the globe. By bringing together thought leaders, the Workforce Institute is uniquely positioned to empower organizations with the knowledge and information they need to manage their workforce effectively and provide a voice for employees on important workplace issues. A hallmark of the Workforce Institute's research is balancing the needs and desires of diverse employee populations with the needs of organizations. For additional information, visit www.workforceinstitute.org