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FEATURE Here are some retention red fags that indicate an employee may be ready to jump ship: 1. CHANGE IN ATTITUDE A n employee's deteriorating work atitude could be an indication she's considering leaving your f irm. W hen a worker who used to approach every challenge with gusto becomes more dis- tant, she could be entertaining job of fers at other companies. At the very least, this change signals something is not quite right. 2. QUALITY OF WORK DROPS A telltale sign an employee's mind is not on the job is when he turns in work late and at s ubpa r qu a l it y. T houg h t h i s somet i me s occurs when a stafer is under personal stress, it also could be a sign he's half way checked out and has lost interest in his current role. 3. DISENGAGEMENT WITH COLLEAGUES Engaged workers show up to meetings, work functions and social events. A retention red fag is an employee who's frequently late or a no-show to of f ice act iv it ies, even t he optional ones, especially when she used to volunteer for assignments and was the life of the party. 4. ABSENCES Employees who uncharacteristically take l o n g l u nc he s o r l e a v e e a r l y m a y b e inter v iew ing for other positions. T he same is true of team members who have never missed a day of work except for scheduled vacations but now frequently take personal days. Tey could be using up their paid time of instead of losing it when they leave. 5. SHIFT IN DRESS Has your senior accountant or fnancial analyst upgraded his wardrobe, and now he comes to work more ofen in business atire? W hile it's possible he's experimenting with a new look or dressing to get ahead, he also may be heading to interviews during lunch or afer work. 6. FURTIVE BEHAVIOR W hen you walk up to an employee and she mini- mizes all screens, it could be because she's looking a t job p o s t i n g s or e m a i l s f r om pr o s p e c t i v e e mploy e r s . W h i le s no opi n g i s u n b e c om i n g behavior, do keep an eye and ear out for warning signs to determine whether you need to have a talk about retention or just goofng of on the job. How to Respond to Retention Red Flags Tere are several steps you can take to turn the situation around and keep top employees happy, satisfed and with your organization. Even if you don't see any red fags, you should still be proactive about enhancing your retention strategy. 1. HAND OUT RAISES A Robert Half survey found an inadequate com- p e n s a t i o n p a c k a g e i s t h e t o p r e a s o n g o o d employees leave their jobs. Ta ke a look at the wages of your most productive accountants, and compare them to the salar y ranges listed in the 2015 Salary Guide from Robert Half. If salaries are on the lower end, bump them up before your top performers seek beter pay else- where. It's too late to ofer them a raise when they turn in their resignation leter; a counterofer is a poor retention tool. 2. HELP BALANCE THE BURDEN Somet i mes a for merly good worker t u r n s i n lower-quality work because he's stressed. If his work-life balance is of f, of fer time perks like a f le x ible sc hedu le, telecom mut i ng opt ion s, a compressed workweek or even going part-time. If the work is too much for one person to handle, hire a new full-time employee or bring in tempo- rary help. Let him know you're on his side. 3. SHOW A WAY UP A key aspect of job satisfaction for motivated employees is k now ing they have potentia l for career advancement. Ask about their career goals and aspirations and whether they're happy with their current roles and responsibilities. If a staf member feels she's hit a ceiling at the company, work with her to map out a possible career path and let her know what professional development opportunities are available. 4. KEEP YOUR DOOR OPEN W hen employees feel management cares, they're less apt to leave. Have regular check-in sessions to listen to their concerns and catch retention red fags early. 5. SHOW APPRECIATION Your top employees deserve to be recognized. If your company doesn't have a recognition program, put one in place. Bonuses and gif cards are efec- tive, but there are also many low-cost ways to thank valuable workers and let them know you're glad they're part of the team. Te best retention strategy is to be proactive — before star employees start sending out warning signs. But even if you see retention red fags, you still have time to turn the situation around so they'll have every reason to stay. Regardless of how the situation turns out, avoid burning br idges. Stay in touch w ith high-per- forming professionals who leave, and they may boomerang back to your frm in the future. Reducing Staff Turnover: How to Recognize and Respond to Retention Red Flags By Paul McDonald A ccounting and fnance professionals with in- demand skills are finding they have many options when it comes to job offers. This is great news for candidates. However, as a manager, you recognize a rosier hiring environ- ment means you have to work harder to keep your top talent. Paul McDonald is senior executive director with Robert Half, the world's frst and largest specialized stafng frm. Over the course of his 30-year career with the company, he has spoken extensively on em- ployment and management issues based on his work with thousands of companies and job seekers. 10 August 2015 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com