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What innovative steps is your company taking to retain your top talent?Capital Ideas members share tips for keeping great people around

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Chris Vilcsak, president of Solution 105 (solution105.com) is interested in hearing how other companies retain staff, which is why he posed this question to the community. Here’s how Vilcsak retains his top talent: “Successful companies recognize that team members must fit and function well together… and understand that people have a life outside of work and encourage that. Be flexible with work hours… and when times are busy and employees are working hard, recognize the extra effort, too. Finally, compensate fairly… when the company does well, so should the employees.”

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY CHRIS VILCSAK

“If your employees are your No. 1 asset, do everything you can to make them feel that way. Conduct regular surveys to see what keeps them engaged and makes them happy… consider an employee stock ownership program or profit sharing, and look at what best-in-class companies are doing in your industry. Finally, measure — that’s the only way you’ll know if you are improving in this area.”— Ashif Mawji, CEO of NPO Zero — npozero.com

“We hire keepers and empower them to do their jobs. When they make a mistake, we help them identify the stumbling block and find ways to get past it. Let’s face it, everyone has stumbling blocks; the best way to retain top talent is to create an environment where they can learn from their setbacks and grow stronger as a result.”— Barbara May, founder of Stumbling Blocks at Work — stumblingblocksatwork.com

“We don’t tie them to our company; we’ve structured our business so that we collaborate with our senior colleagues on projects, but give them the freedom to do the same with other companies. It’s a fantastic solution for everyone — tons of freedom, lots of variety in the work, and our clients appreciate the fact we only work with senior practitioners in the field. It’s a different take on retaining talent, and in a market as hot as Edmonton, it works well for all concerned.”— Marliss Weber, owner of Parodos Communications Inc. — parodos.ca

“If you’re looking for innovation related to employee retention, look to technology. There is affordable, cloud-based software on the market today that allow companies to deploy a scalable, consistent solution to the entire organization that helps managers manage their people. Managers are a key part of this equation, because employees don’t quit jobs, they quit their boss.”— Alison McMahon, co-founder of TwoFold — gettwofold.com

“The key to sustainable employment involves proper employee selection first, then subsequent investment in an individual’s ongoing growth and development. At Psychometrics Canada, we use assessments to hire the right people for the right jobs, and help employees succession plan, train, and develop their skills within the organization.”— Aidan Millar, talent development consultant at Psychometrics Canada — psychometrics.com

“Hire smart people — skills can be trained… Have regular and frequent communication, and always give recognition of good work. It’s that simple. Take care of your people and they will take care of your profits.”— Pat Mussieux, founder of Wealthy Women Leaders — wealthywomenleaders.com

“My business is a solo operation, but I remember being the ‘talent,’ and here’s what I would like to have seen from my employer — trust. Many times, talent is hired then handcuffed from doing anything innovative or forward-thinking because of policy. The company doesn’t trust their talent, so the talent becomes bored or frustrated. Many companies say they want people to think outside the box, but they shut down ideas when they are offered. Trust who you hire to move your company forward.”— Deirdre StLuke, owner of Deirdre StLuke — dstluke.com

“First, be very clear on expectations so you hire the right people for the job. If they are doing what they love and you are valuing them with money and praise for a job well done, they will stay in a culture where their talents are appreciated.”— Connie Warner, founder of Connie Warner & Associates — launchingleaders.ca

“We have an amazing group of superstars in the firm that want to feel empowered and know they are making a difference. We offer as much personal and professional flexibility as possible in the jobs they work on, their daily work schedules and how they can individually contribute to the company’s success.”— Linda Banister, president of Banister Research & Consulting Inc. — banister.ab.ca

“The key to keeping talented people is creating a culture that is hard to walk away from. One of the ways we do this is by creating personal connections with our team. We also intentionally create experiences for us to have fun together.”— Brandi Bartlett, director of human resources at Quercus Solutions — quercussolutions.com

“Perhaps not very innovative, but when I started my company 18 years ago, I vowed to not end up owning a company that I wouldn’t want to work for.”— David Boroditsky, owner of Emergence by Design — emergence.com

“Good employees work for the wages or salary; great employees are passionate about the work they do, and work primarily for peer and supervisor recognition. Management needs to meet these needs by paying good employees reasonable compensation to retain them, and promoting the great ones.”— Kees denHartigh, founder of Organic Social Media — organicsocialmedia.ca

“We pay them well, always respond to their questions or concerns, and respect their priorities. In essence, we make sure to treat our people like people and not just like employees. At the end of the day, we all pay our staff about the same as everyone else in the market, but what the best people value most is respect.”— Anuj Gupta, president of Anu Homes — anuhomes.ca

“Retention is the key to our success for sure, but it is not all about money; for us, it’s about our culture. We treat all employees equally, support them, and help them grow both professionally and personally… We try hard to making sure all staff feel like they’re valued and listened to… Rewarding, recognizing and appreciating all your employees is the key to retention.”— Bruce Kirkland, general manager of Lexus of Edmonton — lexusofedmonton.ca

“I don’t discriminate between my staff. I offer them all the same thing: Paid training opportunities, daily challenges with increasing responsibilities, and constant and relevant feedback.”— Kevin MacDonald, sounding board at PU Technologies Inc. — putechnologies.tk

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Transitioning your business to a new space can be an in-timidating process, which is why Wellington Holbrook, executive vice-president of ATB Business, wants you to share:

How do you find the right space for your business?

You can answer the question in two ways:• Open today’s Capital Ideas email if you’re a member, or• Visit capitalideasedmonton.com

We’ll publish the best answers, along with your busi-ness name and website address, on July 16.

To learn how local entrepreneur Jaqueline Jacek of JACEK Chocolate Couture expanded her operation into a commercial space — including her handy 10-per-cent rule — check out ATB’s We Grow Alberta series at atb.com/wegrowalberta.

CAPITAL QUESTION: How do you find the right space for your business?

We want to know what you want to know about running a business. So here’s your chance to ask a question of the Capital Ideas community. Besides the opportunity to have your ques-tion featured like Chris Vilcsak’s was today, we have something exciting in the works with our friends at E-Town. Visit capitalideasedmonton.com/ask to learn more.

E-Town is an entrepreneurial festival hosted by the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation at the Shaw Conference Centre on Sept. 11 and 12. To get your tickets, visit e-town.ca.

Your turn to ask a question