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This article originally appeared in Network World Volume 14, Number 33.

Management Strategies: Recognizing Discontent
By B. Lynn Ware, Ph.D.

An IT executive at a high-tech company in Silicon Valley arrives at work one morning to find that the company's top programmer Mike Jones has requested a meeting. Jones announces that, after much consideration, he's decided to join a competing local firm.

The stunned manager had no idea the programmer was unhappy. Jones had worked for the company for five years and was the employee who always came in earliest and left the latest. The executive could count on him whenever emergencies occurred.

Hoping to retain Jones, the manager asks human resources to approve a raise or bonus. But it's too late--Jones isn't interested. The programmer had been sending unspoken signals that he was dissatisfied with his job, but his manager failed to see them.

Convincing employees to stay after they've already tendered their resignations is a difficult task. As many managers have found, money isn't a panacea.

Employees most often leave their resignations on the table and resist persuasion to stay. Even if a manager talks an employee out of leaving, that same worker often departs six to nine months later.

Fine-tune your antenna

Whether managers realize it or not, unhappy workers often send unconscious and conscious signals of dissatisfaction long before they give notice. Managers who pick up these warning signs early enough can take steps to remedy the causes of dissatisfaction and deter valued employees from resigning.

• Jim Burgess is a hard-working professional who's usually the first into work and the last to leave. All of a sudden, his schedule is strictly 9 to 5. What happened?
• Mary Roberts is a network administrator who never complains when things go wrong. In fact, she often works even harder when a problem crops up. But Roberts recently has begun complaining about the slightest setback.
• Tom Davis, a software development programmer, has chronic knee problems resulting from an accident on the basketball court. He sees a physical therapist on a regular basis. In the past, he's scheduled his appointments for hours that don't conflict with work. Now he's going to sessions during work hours.

Although the names have all been changed, all of these are actual situations indicative of employees who have become dissatisfied with their posts (see "Warning Signs" sidebar). You may pick up on these types of subtle changes in behavior. Once an employee starts to give these signals, what can you do?

Decide what you want

Before you quickly launch an effort to regain an employee's loyalty, decide whether the employee is worth retaining. It's shocking how few managers know which specialists on their staff fit into the company's larger game plan.

• One manager recently lost a midlevel professional who specialized in encryption. Although the employee wasn't a top performer, the manager was aware that his company would soon launch a major division to develop encryption products, and employees with expertise would be in short supply. Six months later, the position is still vacant.

Ask yourself, "How valuable is this individual to attaining our goals?" More importantly, how valuable is this individual--and, in fact, every member of the staff--to the company over the next few years? When you have that answer, it's time for the next step.

If you determine an employee is worth fighting for, you then need to determine the cause of the worker's unhappiness. Is it compensation or are there interpersonal or motivational reasons? If your employee is being paid less than others in the department or in his or her industry niche, a boost in pay may persuade him to stay, assuming the employee is happy in all other respects.

When money isn't the problem

Are interpersonal problems causing dissatisfaction? You need to play detective to get to the root of the problem and make efforts to help iron out the issues. Are there problems in team dynamics? Your intervention, even if you aren't 100% successful, can change your employee's feelings about the company from negative to positive.

Is the employee stymied in his career objectives or professional development so that his personal motivation is reduced? You need to think about the individual's long-term career goals and objectives. You do know what these are, don't you? If not, you should.

• For example, if your employee is involved in software maintenance but ultimately wants to become a software developer, it's important to know. Have the employee do the job that she is paid for but also steer her to other assignments and job rotations that will help her reach her long-term goal. If the grooming can't transpire in your department, perhaps you could arrange an assignment in a colleague's area on an ad hoc basis. Taking any of these steps will help encourage your wavering staff member to stay.

Yes, it seems paradoxical. Why should you help your employee acquire skills that will cause him to move on? The reason is that your understanding and support promotes loyalty to you and your company. This is known as the "Zen of Retention."

Sooner or later, your employee will move on. So will everyone. But if you follow these tips for retaining valued workers, they may help you achieve your near-term business goals without the upheaval and expense turnover causes.