Employee Turnover and the New Economy

by Marguerite Granat on November 26, 2009

Dale Chihuly The Flame of Libertyglass sculpture

During the last 18 months  millions of people have lost their jobs, have been forced to leave familiar surroundings, their colleagues, a steady paycheck, have felt despair  and harshly thrown into the unknown.  A large number of employees who have stayed behind are enduring tough working conditions, living in fear and not being fully engaged in their current roles.

The companies  that have been successful at keeping their employees engaged, providing a healthy work  environment are becoming well known around the country because people are sharing experiences more openly on and off line.  These organizations usually encourage respect for differences of opinion, cultures and encourage innovation. There will be a mass exodus of employees looking towards better work environments in the near future. Companies with healthy work environments are going to have no trouble attracting talent as the economy recovers.

In some ways corporations share similarities with nations. Employees share a sense of purpose and identity. There are certain norms and accepted behaviors within the organization. The nation of the United States has represented certain ideals that have attracted immigrants for over 300 years. People from all nations have come to the United States in search of a dream for a better future. There has been a steady influx of people from every corner of the globe moving here.

I have shared that dream. I’m an immigrant who came to America alone, not knowing a soul. I embraced this nation and am thankful to call myself an American. I’m thankful for what this country has offered me and believe that our values and the foundation established by our founding fathers make this country a destination for people across the world. People from everywhere have and continue to strive to be part of this nation.

The best and the brightest students continue to come to the United States to pursue advanced degrees and many stay here because they enjoy the diversity, intellectual stimulation and opportunities for growth. These are some of the same motivators that impact an employee’s decision to join an organization or leave if they are not present.

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Photo Credits,  trikc.

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    Tagged as: Cultural Diversity

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    • http://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelled Rachelle Dillon

      You have hit a hot button Marguerite. Employees, like consumers, tend to follow similar patterns. Like those former consumers of GM and Chrysler products, people will only tolerate poor quality, abuse, or unfriendly treatment only as long as they must. Once there is a viable alternative to these abusive employers, the truly good people will bail, taking their intellectual property and abilities with them. At this time supply and demand has opened a window to allow employers to extort maximum work for the minimum price. Having said that, the unionized workforce has been on the decline for some time. Perhaps the blowback will unclude an increase in workers collectively insisting on fair treatment. One of my favorite quotes from, ” Negotiating Your Salary” is ‘quality is remembered long after price is forgotten.’ Like all cycles, this one will pass. It will be interesting to see what comes next.

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