With all this talk of the war for talent, it often goes overlooked that an organization’s best place to look for employees is among the employees it already has. In other words, if you can make sure to hang on to the ones you’re already got, you’re a step ahead.

How to do that is of course the age old question. Is it pay? Is it meaning? What is it employees need to have in order to stick around? According to a WSJ article today, it’s coaching.

From the article:

A key differential between a staffer who feels like a valuable part of a company and one who is disengaged is the quality of leadership in their workplace. Most engaged employees work for managers who spend a big chunk of their time helping their subordinates succeed. Managers who focus on talent assign their employees to jobs that play to their strengths, make sure they have the resources they need to perform well, respect their opinions and push them to advance.

To source, screen and hire a new employee is an expensive proposition. Getting managers to spend more time managing and thinking about the people they already have may not cost a dime, but can make all the impact in the world.

A humble post at Execupundit entitled “Note from boss to employees.” 

An excerpt:

1. I am sometimes under enormous pressure from upper management; pressure that you seldom see. Anything that you can do to make my job easier will be greatly appreciated.
2. Your interests are important, but please remember that I also have to juggle the concerns and feelings of a bunch of other people, including individuals outside of the department.
3. I may not have been given a huge amount of training before being named to a supervisory position. As a result, I’ve had to learn through trial and error. That’s not always bad. Many of my responsibilities can only be learned through practice.

It’s often difficult for front line employees to put themselves in the boss’s shoes. Perhaps a bit of humility along these lines could go a long way.