On Sunday, I was the sounding board for my manicurist who was spitting mad. One of her key people had just quit “without warning and for no good reason”.  After all that had been done for her – time off with pay and a $100 cash gift so she had some spending money when she recently returned to her native country for a visit. Holding her job open for more than two months until her return. Listening to her complain for more than four years about being underpaid and unappreciated. As I listened to the blistering indictment, I couldn’t help but notice that my manicurist had missed so many signals that the relationship was headed south.

What could she have done to prevent that??

Every business owner should be concerned that their key people might leave one day.  Depending on how “key” that person is will determine the impact on the business if they leave. The costs from business  disruption, hiring and training a new employee can be staggering. What employers must do is listen to their employees, truly hear what is making them unhappy at work and respond effectively. Granted, not all problems can be fixed and you can’t please everyone, but sometimes, something as easy as another paid vacation day and words of appreciation for a job well done can cement the relationship.

Employers can create incentives such as a bonus pool with future vesting for employees, sharing in the profits of the business generated by the employee, and stock or other ownership options. Financial incentives should be a meaningful amount of money and, to protect the employer, tied to  the financial success of the company- not a guaranteed amount. The award should be conditioned on the employee staying with the company until some specified future date. Those are “golden handcuffs”.  All of it should be in writing.

These are just a few ways to keep key employees and how not to fall hostage to fear of losing them.

I didn’t volunteer this advice to my manicurist. Too late for that.

And besides, she was just looking to vent as she maniacally filed my nails.  I silently counted my blessings that I hadn’t come in for a bikini wax.