Issue link: https://nbm.uberflip.com/i/1482193
G R A P H I C S - P R O. C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 2 • G R A P H I C S P R O 1 5 their training, I did mention that she allows them to do the job how they see it. And it boils down to her trusting them to get the job done. You have removed all autonomy and fulfillment when you "train" someone by giving them a line-by-line direction list and punishing them for not following the steps exactly. ey show up at work as just another cog and can't wait to clock out. Training is the first step in employee reten- tion to ensure your employees don't fall into this trap. When you train someone to educate them to do their best and then trust them to take ownership of that job by setting clear expectations, you now have someone who will look forward to their job. ey get to be the masters of their domain and take pride in their work. But when you train someone by setting them in front of a step-by-step instruction video or telling them to shadow someone else, you set them up for failure. You want to integrate them into the team by educating them on best practices and why those best practices work for your business. en give them space to learn and grow by allowing for mistakes to happen. Reward the growth and manage the learning curve with checks and balances that everyone is held to, includ- ing yourself. RETENTION Once they are trained and part of the team, the next step is to ensure they stay around. If you have built that autonomy in training and provided the new employee with a path to mastery, you have the ground- work for success. From there, the job is not to break the chain and don't give them a reason to find another job. As the Dairy Queen "Mom" showed me, it goes beyond what happens at your place of business. You have to define your core values and per- sonal strengths clearly. ose values and strengths will point you towards how you need to show up for them as an employer. Maybe your core values and strengths are community and fam- ily. You could do things like support them in supporting a cause that's important to them. Or do things inside your business that remind them they are part of something bigger than themselves. Show your employees how their work impacts your customers. One important thing not to do is to expect them to be like you. Many business owners have told me that they wish their employ- ees would take more ownership and treat the job as they treat it. at is unrealistic because an employee like that would start their own business. Include them in the processes you want them to emulate and be transparent but don't expect them to live, eat, sleep, and breathe your business as you do. As the employer, the most crucial part of retention is to take responsibility for your role. You are not always going to get it right, but it is up to you to be the first to admit that fault. If you constantly have employees you think are lazy or unwilling to go the extra mile, look in the mirror. How have you cre- ated an environment that promotes that or puts them in a place where they will not go the extra mile? Nine times out of 10, a system, consequence, or man- ager drives the employee to do whatever it takes to stay under the radar and collect their paycheck. If your employee feels like their time is best served covering their own butts, you have cre- ated, promoted, or allowed that behavior that will not help your business or that employee. Taking responsibility, even when it does seem like it is your burden to handle, needs to per- meate your business. As a business owner, you are responsible, so make the hard decisions, stick by them with integrity, and foster an environment where your employees feel like they are part of the family. GP Aaron Montgomery is certified by New York Times best-selling author Jack Canfield as a Success Principles Trainer and co-founder of OurSuccessGroup.com. Aaron has over 25 years of experience with personalized products and small business development and is the co-creator of the "5 Keys of Business Success." You can also find Aaron co-hosting the decorator's industry podcast 2 Regular Guys Podcast (2regularguys.com). Also, check him out on his podcast channel, Small Business Saturdays (smallbusinesssatur- dayspodcast.com). As the employer, the most crucial part of retention is to take responsibility for your role.