Training from Federal Grant Will Help Employers Reduce Workforce Costs & Improve Employee Performance

Online, October 20, 2010 (Newswire.com) - St. Joseph, MO, - Community Action Partners (CAP) of the greater St. Joseph area hired Retensa, a leader in talent management research and retention solutions, to provide Retention Skills Training as a regional employee retention initiative.

The economic recovery is slow, and while other regions still haven't noticed any economic improvement, St. Joseph, MO, is the 5th fastest growing county in the United States.* The future looks bright for the area. However, common post-recession problems to expect when the economy improves are salary inflation and increases in voluntary employee turnover. Losing employees, from top performers to hourly workers, has serious negative effects on organizations' customer service, employee morale, productivity, and profitability. There is good news, however:
1) Tools exist to help organizations avoid and prevent employee turnover; and
2) Employers in the greater St. Joseph area are now eligible to receive these tools for free.

Retensa is currently surveying employers in the Greater St. Joseph area to capture the state of the workforce. Survey findings will be incorporated into customized Retention Skills Training workshops for employers and managers. The trainings will be held in modules starting in the fall of 2010. These workshops are completely free, funded by federal Workforce Investment Act grants. The purpose of the Retention Skills Training is to provide employers in the Greater St. Joseph community with actionable tips and tools to retain employees, keep them engaged and productive, and reduce costs caused by employee turnover.

Participants Will Learn How To:

• Assess the impact and true costs of losing top performers
• Assess the impact and true costs of keeping poor performers
• Identify, develop, and retain both high-potentials and high-performers at every stage of the Employee Life Cycle
• Gather genuine employee feedback in order to increase motivation and loyalty with key employees
• Understand motivational drivers unique to their staff
• Identify behavioral patterns which indicate "at risk" employees
• Decrease turnover by addressing turnover's root causes unique to their organization

Organizations interested in receiving free expertise and Retention Skills Training, which can greatly reduce company costs and improve employee morale, are encouraged to contact Retensa. Call (212) 545-1280 and ask for the St. Joseph Training Manager.

About Retensa

Retensa is a leader and innovator in Employee Retention Strategies and Workforce Technology. Retensa provides talent retention solutions to mid-size and large firms on 5 continents in 12 languages, with a mission of creating workplaces where every employee is engaged by what they do, and inspired by who they work for. Internationally recognized as a thought leader by ABC News, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, and the New York Times, Retensa helps employers reduce staff turnover, improve morale, and build HR metrics for a high-performing workforce on all levels. For more information about Retensa, visit www.retensa.com or call 212.545.1280.

Many employers who hire and manage hourly-wage workers have adopted the attitude that people in lower-wage, lesser skilled positions will not stay and little can be done about their leaving. This assumption-that it is cheaper to replace people than to try to retain them-is a costly and crucial factor in businesses' profitability and, in some cases, their survival.

Adapted from:
Carol Clymer & Laura Wyckoff
Here to Stay, 2007