"Watch out for early signs of dissonance"

Create a sense of belonging: Take a cue from the armed forces, which build loyalty to the organisation and to the immediate team. This ensures internal stakeholder pressure where the goal of the team is larger than the individual. Disband teams every two years to avoid creating silos.  

People don’t quit organisations, they quit people: Watch out for early signs of dissonance within teams and take corrective action immediately. Ensure there is robust interaction at peer and subordinate levels and use informal networks to gauge temperatures at work.

Focus on the work: Everyone wants to work where they see growth for themselves. Trouble is, work can’t always be challenging, there will be repetitive tasks. Motivate teams to deliver their best even when work is ‘boring’. Bring in external stakeholders to show the big picture, explaining why repetitive tasks are important. 

Culture matters: Make sure your employees have work-life balance. Long commutes and extended work hours take a toll on everybody, so flexible working hours can help keep them happy and involved. Work environment is very important. 

Show them the money: The total cost to company is usually much more than the salary, since it includes training, group insurance and several other benefits that are not immediately obvious. Remind employees of how their pay package includes soft, non-monetary benefits.