In every successful business, employees come first. They are the pillars upon which your business is built and being able to retain them saves you the high costs of recruitment and orientation. Today, employees are no longer satisfied with big paychecks – they also want growth. Companies like Amazon invest in their employees. They provide them with the best leadership training programs for up-and-coming leaders that may not be related to their current position. As a result, these employees know their company cares for their well-being, and they are likely to return the favor with loyalty and service.

“Train people well enough so they can leave. Treat them well enough so they don’t want to.” – Richard Branson

Couples don’t divorce and children don’t run away because they were treated well.

Similarly, employees don’t leave companies because they were treated well.

Awhile back, the Internet popularized the story, “Are you a duck or an eagle?” A man met an extraordinary cab driver on a trip from the airport. The driver had an unusually clean cab, and he offered coffee, asked the passenger’s music preference and offered him some reading material.

Intrigued, the man asked the driver, “Why the extra perks?” He learned that this cab driver started out like all other drivers. But one day, he heard this message on the radio from the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer: “If you wake up in the morning expecting a bad day, you will rarely disappoint yourself. Stop complaining and differentiate yourself from your competition. Don’t be a duck, be an eagle. Ducks stay on the ground and do nothing but quack and complain, eagles soar in the sky.”

The driver realized that he was a duck… but he didn’t have to stay that way. He incorporated little changes in his service. When he got a good response from his passengers, he added more perks. His business became so successful, he doubled his income the first year. When the man in this story met the driver, he had a steady stream of customers who texted, called and looked for him when they needed his service. He no longer relied on taxi lanes for passengers.

What lesson had the cab driver learned? If he treated his customers well, they will not only come, they will stay with him.

It’s the same with employees. Giving your employees a little more can also benefit you. Free coffee and tea in the break room, extra employee training, and sessions on leadership, additional workshops on communications.  These are examples of little perks that can make the difference between an employee who stays and an employee who goes.

Treat your employees well. If they get an offer from another company at a higher compensation, they’ll ask about those extras — especially training opportunities. If the perks aren’t there, the higher compensation might not make it worth the move.

Make your employees feel so engaged, appreciated and well-trained that, if given a choice, they will stay with your company — even if they know they can easily be employed elsewhere. The cost of training your employees well will pay for itself many times over in terms of gains in productivity. And the cost of treating your employees well will pay for itself in terms of loyalty and service to your customers.

“It’s a virtuous circle. When your employees feel more engaged, they’re happier and more loyal.” – Lisa Manley, EVP, Cone Communications

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