From Leader to Leader: ERC President Kelly Keefe Talks Top-Performer Retention

From Leader to Leader: ERC President Kelly Keefe Talks Top-Performer Retention

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Top performers are the backbone of your company. They sustain you during hard times, push your organization to greater achievements, and make sure you come out on top. Through the NorthCoast 99 program, we uncover what motivates and retains top performers in the Northeast Ohio region each year.

What Top Performers Want in 2022

While the thrill of “challenging and meaningful work” is not gone for top performers, it is no longer the primary tool to retain them. Today, it takes “higher compensation” and “work/life benefits” to hold on to your best employees.

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This comes as no surprise to the 46 percent of ERC Member organizations that report an increase in their voluntary turnover, according to our recent survey. As employees head for the exits, most say they are leaving for more money (81%) and career advancement (41%). 

Top Performers by Generation in 2022

Not only are the expectations of top performers changing, but so is their generational makeup as Baby Boomers leave the workforce and Generation Zs arrive.

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Younger generations are less likely to stay at unfulfilling jobs. Millennial top performers are reassessing what matters most to them as they grapple with the continual disruption and uncertainty of the last few years.

Many are demanding sustained changes, including higher compensation, more meaningful and flexible work, and an increased focus on well-being.

As the market for top talent evolves, so should your culture, operations, benefits, and how you interact with your employees. 

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Kelly Keefe, SHRM-SCP
President, ERC