Well, poaching in business has always been around. But now it seems companies are having to work that little but harder to keep hold of great staff as they are highly likely to move on elsewhere in this (thankfully!) positive employment and jobs market, according to research from Adecco.

The research into workplace poaching reveals that over half (51%) of UK workers have had at least one ex-colleague attempt to poach them after they left for a new employer. Of those who had been approached, over a quarter (27%) accepted the offer. The trend is most prevalent in the capital, with two thirds (65%) of London workers having been approached by an ex-colleague, and amongst Gen Y, with over a third (35%) of 20-28-year-olds having been successfully poached.

Well, if you or your staff are made a proverbial “offer they can’t refuse” (remember the scene in the Godfather? Legendary!), what can you do?

Or rather, what should your company have done to stop it happening in the first place?

Creativedge thinks it comes down to employee engagement. So with this in mind, here are our top 5 tips for great employee engagement:-

1. Connect

Remember engaging managers interact and build strong teams and rapport with people. Employees want to feel their manager is interested n them as a person.

What have YOU done to comment with your people recently? Think about it.

2. Congratulations

Engaging mangers focus on the positives and provide frequent praise and recognition

Employees want to know that their efforts are noticed valued and appreciated.

What have YOU done to congratulate your people?

3. Collaboration

Engaging managers are team builders. Studies show that when employees work in teams, and have the cooperation of its members, they outperform individuals and teams which lack good relationships. Employees want to work in an environment that foster trust, openness and support, and where conflicts are effectively resolved.

What have YOU done to encourage collaboration between your people?

4. Career

Engaging managers create challenging and meaningful work with opportunities for career enhancement (which will stop people moving on elsewhere).

They coach and develop their employees and build on their individual strengths. Employees want responsibility, accountability and a challenge to live up to their potential.

What have YOU done to develop their careers and/or the potential of your people?

5. Communication

Engaging managers encourage the flow of effective, regular, 2-WAY COMMMUNICATION.

Employees want to know what’s going on, what’s ahead and what’s new. Remember, they have a voice; their views and opinions are sought out, listen to and acted upon.

What have YOU done to open communication channels with your people?

There so much else you can do, but to read more top tips for better engagement to stop your people being poached, visit the new Creativedge ‘Top 10 Tips’ App for Employee Engagement available for iPhone, Android and Windows smartphones:-

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/top-10-tips/id796349890?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.elixsoft.creativedge