In my last blog, I talked about knowing whether or not someone was “the best person for the job,” and I asked for readers to engage in some conversation with me to talk about their thoughts on the topic. The conversations I have been able to have over the last few days have been great. The one theme that came up most often in those discussions was turnover/longevity in the workplace.

It seems like there is constant chatter about whether or not people are job-hopping more or less often than they did in years past. I looked around, and I found an article by Jeffrey Young who points out that there is data that says millennials change jobs twice as often during their first ten years out of college than the “Gen Xers” did. However, he also points out that job-hopping, as a whole, has actually slowed over the last 10-15 years. I didn’t see that last part coming.

Regardless of whether or not people are changing jobs more or less often than they used to, leaders have the ability (and responsibility) to reduce the amount of turnover that we see in our organizations.

How do we do it?

We have to invest in our people. When we intentionally invest in our people, we are saying, “You are important to me.” This is so significant because we tend to stay longer when we feel wanted.

Almost three years ago I left the best job I ever had. I was working at Union High School in Tulsa, OK, and I absolutely loved it there. The people were incredible, and the administration took a vested interest in helping me grow as an educator.  They mentored me, and they gave me opportunities to grow and serve. They cared about my family and me, and that made me want to stay there forever. Unfortunately, that job was in Oklahoma, and the reality of the state’s commitment to invest in education (or lack thereof) ended up forcing us to leave. It was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make. We have been gone for almost three years, but I still consider myself a part of the Union family (#AllMyLife).

When we start talking about investing in and motivating people, I almost always go back to Daniel Pink’s book, “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.” In his book, Pink identifies the three things that motivate people in modern society: Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose.

Autonomy: We want to have ownership, and we want the opportunity to be somewhat self-directed. No one wants to be micromanaged. One of the reasons I loved Union so much was because they gave me responsibilities that I’d never had before, and they trusted me to get the job done. They supported me, but they did not micromanage me. They allowed me to pursue my passions, and they valued my input when there were opportunities to give it. If you want your people to feel wanted, give them ownership, give them a chance to have input, and give them the freedom to run with their ideas.

Mastery: Can I grow here? Everyone is asking themselves that question whether they know it or not. “Growth” can mean different things to different people. For some, it might just mean, “can I get better at this?” Who wants to commit to something when they feel like there is no way to get better or be more successful at it? For others, “growth” means having the ability to move up within the organization. Who wants to feel like they are stuck? If you feel like there is no way for you to move up your organization’s ladder, you are likely going to start looking for another ladder to climb. I’ve seen this happen a lot in coaching. I know that I have gotten very restless in the past when I have felt like growth wasn’t possible.

Purpose: We need to be working for something bigger than a paycheck. Don’t coach football. Coach kids. Don’t teach math. Teach kids. Don’t build houses. Build dreams. About four years ago, I wrote a blog titled “What’s Your Job?” In that post, I dive a lot deeper into the importance of purpose. If people believe that your organization is driven by a cause worth fighting for, you are much more likely to keep them around.

Let’s wrap this up.

If you want to have a chance of keeping your people around for the long haul, you have to invest in them.  Give them a purpose bigger than their “jobs,” and give them opportunities for autonomy and mastery. Their capacity for their jobs will increase, they’ll feel wanted/appreciated, and ultimately, their level of loyalty to the organization will increase as well. Everyone wins!

I’d love to hear how you invest in your people. What are you doing to build the loyalty and the capacity of your team members? Feel free to share here in the comments section or on social media. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you for taking the time to read and share this blog. I’m always blown away when I see people commenting and sharing on social media. I appreciate your support.

Leaders Are Readers:  If you haven’t read “Drive,” you should definitely check it out. It’s in my top ten, and it’s a must-read for anyone whose job requires them to motivate people. I read it almost five years ago, and I can’t tell you how many times I have referenced it since then.