In this tight labor market, when employees move to other jobs, they leave vacancies that are increasingly difficult to fill. What’s more, employers can spend so much time trying to fill vacancies that remaining employees become unsatisfied and leave as well. Obviously, this is a worst-case scenario, but it is a reality for many businesses. Situations like these illustrate the importance of looking internally, rather than externally, for great leaders—individuals who can help retain your workforce and keep your business moving toward success.
Leaders can be found in all sorts of roles, not just managerial. A sales rep can be just as capable of leading as a manager can. To be successful, your organization should have leaders in every area as beacons for other employees to turn to for guidance.
Employees tend to cite compensation as a main motivator for leaving a company. However, one can argue that having a great manager leading them could pre-empt such feelings in the first place. Great leaders can be hard to find, but that is only if you do not know where to look. Consider that your workforce is full of potential leaders who know your business and have a rapport with their co-workers. Tapping into that talent could save you headaches down the road.
Use the information in this toolkit to help identify leaders within your organization and develop them for success:
