Will 2012 Be the Year of Corporate Musical Chairs?

The New Year is well underway, and Fast Company reports it may very well be the year of corporate musical chairs—job dissatisfaction remains high, and workers are ready to look elsewhere:

Right Management found that workers continue to feel trapped in their jobs and want to find new employment elsewhere. They polled more than a 1,000 employees in North America and found 84% of respondents are planning to look for a new position in 2012. According to Mercer’s recent What’s Working global survey of nearly 30,000 people in 17 countries, between 28% and 56% of workers are seriously considering leaving their jobs, with younger workers even more likely to be considering a move.

It’s no secret that people are working longer hours, working outside their area of expertise, and holding multiple roles within organizations. The new normal has never felt less normal—and while companies may still be struggling, high performing employees who are feeling the economic pinch and are dealing with high levels of stress are ready to look elsewhere. While salaries for certain professions are starting to rise, many employees are also ready to move with work/life balance in mind. High stress is taking a toll on their relationships and health; they’re ready for a change.

High performing employees are a valuable resource for any company, which is why retention strategies need to be an important business objective in 2012. One simple thing that employers can do is conduct “stay interviews”—sit down with your high performers and find out what they enjoy about the job and what they think you could be doing better. It doesn’t mean you have to implement every suggestion you get, but it will give you a better sense for how people within your organization are deriving job satisfaction and will help employees feel heard—which can go a long way boosting morale. And it may also give you important tips about areas where employees may feel they are falling through the cracks.

And remember, employees may appreciate non-monetary gestures of appreciation as well. A pleasant corporate environment can go a long way to keeping key employees with your company. For more ideas, this list from the Wall Street Journal can help.

Have you implemented an innovative retention strategy? Tell us about it below.

--by Krystal D'Costa, MA

Krystal D’Costa is an anthropologist who specializes in technology, relationships, and business trends. You can follow her on Twitter @krystaldcosta.