How to Retain Employees During a Downturn

From January through March, the U.S. Department of Labor says businesses have cut an estimated 232,000 jobs. Over the past 12 months, the retail industry has shed roughly 107,000 jobs. For a business owner trying to stay afloat, these numbers sound grim -- it's no fun swinging the ax, and it's harder keeping talented people who want to bail. So how can a small business retain its employees while the economy continues its downward slide?

"First and foremost, I think a company needs to determine which employees they want to retain," says Tom Darrow, founder and principal of Talent Connections.

Darrow recommends employers sit down one-on-one with each employee to gauge their workforce and spark communication: Find out how each employee is doing, ask if they have any concerns, see if they have any recommendations or suggestions and so on.

Darrow recommends a two-pronged approach. In addition to upper management sitting down and listening to employees, have an outside firm conduct an employee survey. This will allow the employee to speak with anonymity on things they believe need to be changed that may not come about in a face-to-face meeting with management. ...