Surprise - it's not always about money!

Whilst having the appropriate pay rates for employees is a big help in retaining staff, employee appreciation in other ways is never out-of-place. Unfortunately, there are many pharmacy businesses where appreciation is a scarce commodity. And whilst it isn't grumbled about necessarily to your face, believe me, they are talking about it and often looking for other opportunities.

I'm sure that's not what you want for your business. It's no secret that it costs less to retain than to replace. You want to retain your "good" people, so set out to find out their appreciation trigger/s. It's rarely the same for everyone.

A few options:
* Appraisal times where you give them positive feedback - don't assume they know it already.
* Training opportunities - highly valued and something that helps your business.
* Christmas/End of Financial Year bonus is sure to bring a smile to faces.
* Time out - the odd early mark so they can beat the traffic.
* Food is always a winner - a meal, cake for the team or chocolate.
* A simple, heartfelt "thanks" at the end of the day.

I strongly recommend that IF you would like to retain your current staff - use every opportunity to demonstrate your gratitude. They need to know that you see them and what they do for your business. I promise you, it will come back to you tenfold.

Debbie Capuano - Recruitment Consultant
Debbie has been with Raven's for 15 years and looks after permanent recruitment for Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia - call Debbie on 0800 88 6973 for your recruitment or career needs.