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What kind of colleague do you want on your team when the dust settles? Surely you want to keep your star HIPOs (high potential employees), TPs (top performers), MOPS (most productive savvy’s), and KEEPERS (key experienced employees personifying excellence, resiliency and stability). Some characteristics might include: self-starting, problem-solving,

customer-focused, entrepreneurial, and outside-the-box thinker. Are these the characteristics of people who will patiently wait for a “normal” business environment? Studies have shown that top performers who survive lay-offs will not necessarily feel compelled to stay on or be super motivated to maintain high performance in order to “save the company.” The completely predictable crash of morale that accompanies down-sizing is rarely adequately addressed. While providing outplacement services and generous severance packages is morally correct and reflects a genuinely positive business culture, it does nothing for the “survivors” of belt-tightening efforts. If you want to retain the talent that can help move you out of “hunker down” mode, get personal with those who are forced to “do more with less.” Take the time to understand each colleague’s individual motivators and communication style. There is no shortage of advice for retaining key employees, but any effective measure can be further leveraged by tailoring that measure to each employee.

• Top performers thrive on challenges, so let them focus on the innovations that have the best return on their communication styles.
• Encourage them to bring their strengths to bear in designing and improving their work processes and measurements.
• Improving customer interaction may help keep them motivated. Each communication style will yield a different way to engage customers.
• Look for ways to build an environment of affiliation and engagement. Yes, of course you are always doing that, but ask your employees what actually works for them – individually.
• Provide training and tools for improvement and advancement based on individual motivators. Nothing says “You’re appreciated” like encouraging new skills (except stuff you can’t currently provide, like money, extra vacation, new toys…)
• Acknowledge accomplishments with specific recognition, tailored to the individual. No “awesome job!”
• Enhance team cohesiveness with effective team communication processes. Don’t just say “We are all going to get some emotional intelligence now.” Provide the tools.
• Tailor frequent, honest feedback to each individual’s preferred communication style.

Think this takes too much time and effort? Weigh the costs of not treating your “most important assets” as if they really are important to you. Costs include all those associated with making new hires, plus training, delays in product/service development, decline in customer service, and further damage to “survivors’” morale. Your loss is your competitor’s gain.