Employee Retention

There is no pleasing some people is a reminder about...

-Negative Affectivity - A dispositional tendency to experience unpleasant moods such as hostility, nervousness, and annoyance - Tend to focus on negative aspects of themselves and others - Tend to persist in their negative attitudes even in the face of organizational interventions such as pay raises, job enrichment, etc.

The "Slow Burn"

-Gradually decreasing organizational commitment and job satisfaction -This eventually leads you to slowly withdraw from the job - Lateness, absenteeism, search for alternatives, and then one day you're out

Pay Satisfaction (Continuance Commitment)

-Lead-the-market pay creates a strong barrier to leave -The benefits portion of pay is also key: - Some retirement plans may: - Build in penalties for leaving - Reward later years of service more than earlier

Unintended Voluntary Turnover

-Leaving the organization because of physical or psychological health issues

Stress at Work

-OSHA found that 40% of American workers feel their jobs are "very stressful" or "extremely stressful" -Managers are 21% more likely that the average worker to describe their job as stressful

Normative Commitment

-Feels and obligation to stay; calculative, compliant

Flexibility Programs

-Flextime -Telecommuting -Compressed work week -On-site child care -Vacations

Physiological Approaches to Coping with Stress

-Exercise -Healthy Diet -Adequate Sleep

Social Support (Coping with Stress)

- Help people receive when confronted with stressful demands -*Instrumental Support* - Help people receive in addressing the stressful demand directly -*Emotional Support* - Help people receive in addressing the emotional distress that accompanies stressful demands

Wellness Programs

-*Employee Assistance Programs -On-site exercise facilities -Subsidized health care memberships -Reduced health care memberships -Reduced health insurance payments for participation in such programs

Important to note that commitment has different...

-*Referents - It is possible to have/feel affective commitment in reference to one's boss, but not feel that same level of commitment in reference to the organization

Organizational Commitment

-A desire on the part of the employee to remain a member of the organization

Stress

-A physiological and emotional response to a situation that: - Is physically or psychologically challenging - Is potentially threatening to well-being - Causes feelings of uncertainty or lack of control

Withdrawal Behavior

-A set of actions that employees perform to avoid the work situation

Organizational Commitment comes in three forms:

-Affective -Normative -Continuance Commitment

Work Satisfaction and People Satisfaction are related to...

-Affective Commitment

People Satisfaction (Affective Commitment)

-An affection for people at work, often driven by shared values, attitudes, and philosophies -Comes in two forms - Coworker satisfaction - Supervisor satisfaction -In a survey of Organizational Commitment, the item: "most of my closest friendships are with people at work" is the most powerful item for predicting turnover

Affective Commitment

-An emotional attachment; volition, dedication, and personal responsibility to target

Coping with Stress

-Attack the stressor side of the equation - Change the job - Change the work environment -Attack the strain side of the equation - Provide wellness programs - Provide flexibility programs

Behavioral Methods (Coping with Stress)

-Behavioral Methods - Problem focused coping - Work Harder - Seek Assistance - Acquire Additional Resources - Emotion focused coping - Engage in alternative activities - Seek support - Vent anger

Coping Strategies

-Behavioral Methods -Cognitive Methods -Physiological Methods -Social Support -Dr. Wild's last ditch solution *Organizational Level Policies*

How can organizations keep good employees who want to stay?

-By protecting: - Physical Health - Psychological Health

Traditional Perspectives of Voluntary Turnover:

-Causes of Job Dissatisfaction > Job Dissatisfaction > Job Withdrawal > Manifestations of Job Withdrawal

Cost of Employee Turnover

-Companies invest time, energy, and resources in their employees - In this way, companies are committed to their employees - When this commitment is not returned, the company suffers - Financial costs - Psychological costs

Pay and Promotions and Flexibility Programs are related to...

-Continuance Commitment

Continuance Commitment

-Costly consequences to leave; acquiescence (no alternatives), indifference to target

Stressors

-Demands that cause people to experience stress

OHSA Inspection and Enforcement

-Department of Labor - Compliance officers make surprise visits look for "Recognized Hazards" - They look at things like death, injury, illness records; do "walk-around"; conduct interviews with employees/employers - If convicted of OSHA violation, can result in fines per incident of $1,000-$10,000, plus possible additional criminal punishments

Psychological Withdrawal

-Employees mentally "check-out" from their work - Do just enough to get by, but don't try to be noticed - Not much research about these types of employees - Probably sit in the 3rd quartile of performance

The "General Duty Clause"

-Employers have a general duty to provide a place of employment free from recognized hazards that cause or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm -Employees have the right to - Request inspection - Have a representative - Dangerous substances identified - Be promptly informed about exposure to hazards - Have employer violations posted at work site

Work Satisfaction (Affective Commitment)

-Enhanced by having a job that is intrinsically enjoyable, in terms of: - Variety - different activity and skills - Identity - whole identifiable piece of work beginning to end - Significance - substantial impact on others lives - Autonomy - Feedback

Safety Programs

-Occupational Safety and Health Act - Enacted in 1970, a time where there were around 15,000 fatalities a year - Fatalities have fallen, although injuries and illnesses have not - 40% of all accidents happen to 20-29 year olds - 48% of all accidents happen in 1st year on the job

Prominence of Withdrawal Behavior

-One study found that 51% of employees' time was spent working -The other 49% was allocated to coffee breaks, late starts, early departures, and personal things

To reduce the desirability of leaving, we have to increase...

-Organizational commitment

Consequences of Stress/Strain

-Physiological - Illness, high blood pressure, headaches, back pain, stomachaches -Psychological - Depression, anxiety, irritability, forgetfullness, inability to think clearly, reduced confidence, burnout -Behavioral - Teeth-grinding, compulsive behaviors, overeating, alcohol and drug abuse

Cognitive Methods (Coping with Stress)

-Problem focused coping - Strategize - Self-Motivate - Change Priorities -Emotion focused coping - Avoid or Ignore - Look for the positive in the negative - Reappraise

Stressors at Work

-Role Conflict - Conflicting expectations -Role Ambiguity -Role Overload -Time Pressure -Work Complexity -Work Responsibility

Aspects of Physical Health

-Safety Programs -Fitness Programs

Aspects of Psychological Health

-Stress Management -EAP's

Should We Avoid Stress

-Stress is an outcome of having something to lose -The more you "succeed" in life, the more you have to lose, so... - The key is to *cope* with stress

Fitness Programs

-Subsidized health club memberships -Athletic teams, clubs, and classes -Fitness counselors -Health education -Health conscious cafeterias

Physical Withdrawal

-Tardiness/Lateness -Take Long Breaks - Miss Meetings - Absenteeism - Leave the Job -Some research supports the idea of "progression of withdrawal"

Strain

-The physical and emotional responses to stress

Promotion Satisfaction (Continuance Commitment)

-The promise of "climbing the ladder" may create a perceived cost to leaving, particularly when little is known about the policies in an alternative organization -If we focus on employee development, we MUST offer opportunities for internal promotion. Why? -*Clear possibility for attaining higher jobs may make lower satisfaction now simply a means to a later end*